Warslayer
by JohnDeath
Summary: The Halloween episode had a different result, and from it arose champions that will strike fear into all the forces of evil that threaten humanity. Rated M for strong language and violence.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, items or concepts are the property of their respectful owners.

Back in the day I was a huge Buffy fan, and after I saw several crossovers exploring the idea, I felt like adding my two cents to the crowd. While the idea is not original, I hope that I will be able to put my own twist on it that will keep it interesting to people. With that, I leave you to read and comment on the idea.

**Chapter 1**

"So, are you guys excited about Halloween tonight?" Xander turned to his friends Buffy and Willow as they walked through the school.

On the outside, these three were just ordinary students of Sunnydale High, but that couldn't have been further from the truth.

Buffy, a short blond girl that looked and acted as a poster girl for a California ditzy blond, was actually the Vampire Slayer, a supernaturally endowed girl that acted as humanity's protector against anything that went bump in the night.

Willow was an excitable red-haired girl with a habit of babbling whenever she got fired up about a topic. She was also one of the smartest students in the school, and had a cute, innocent look about her.

Xander was an average guy with slicked back black hair and laid back attitude. Compared to his friends, he was completely ordinary, but he still strived to contribute to the group he started to call the 'Scoobies' ever since Buffy saved him and Willow from a bunch of vampires.

"I don't know. I was looking forward to a quiet night." Buffy shrugged. Halloween was a night when the forces of darkness took a night off for some reason, and Buffy intended to capitalize on it.

"Ah, Ms. Summers, just the juvenile delinquent I was looking for. I'm sure you have all sorts of unsavory plans for tonight, so allow me to channel that energy to more productive uses." Principal Snyder interrupted them as he held up the sign in sheet for the volunteer escorts for the school children for Halloween.

Buffy protested, but the principal didn't give her much choice. Xander and Willow's smug looks were erased quickly as he handed them a pen as well.

* * *

"So, we have to get dressed up and everything?" Buffy protested.

"Snyder said costumes are mandatory." Willow replied.

"And I was so looking forward to staying in tonight. Giles said that Halloween was the one night that the undead stay in." Buffy sighed as they sat down in the cafeteria.

Later that day, the trio met at a new costume store called Ethan's to get something to wear for tonight.

"Anything catch your eye, Buffy?" Willow asked as they were browsing the store.

"Nothing yet. Hey Xander, you find anything?" Buffy turned to him only to find him almost drooling at a set of three costumes.

"Those look interesting." Buffy commented as she examined them.

"Yeah, Jesse and I used to play the game all the time." Xander said with a sad smile as he remembered his best friend. Buffy had been too late to save him, and Jesse had been turned into a vampire.

"We should take them. It will be nice to have matching costumes." Willow grinned. Jesse was her friend as well.

"I can't possibly afford this." Xander protested.

"Perhaps we can make a deal, young man." The owner had walked up to them as they examined the costumes. The man had an ever present slight grin as he stood before them.

"What sort of deal?" Xander turned curiously towards the man.

"Well, you're the first to show interest in these costumes, and I'd hate it to leave such interesting outfits stay unused, so I'll rent them to you for fifteen dollars each." The man grinned.

"I'm afraid I don't have that much…" Xander sighed.

"I'll cover for you. I know how much this means to you." Willow gave him a grin.

"Marvelous. I'll pack them up for you." Ethan grinned and began to remove the costumes from their racks.

* * *

"This is hard to move in." Buffy complained as the trio walked down the street to meet their young charges.

"What are you complaining about? How do you think I feel?" Xander was completely encased in his suit; there was not even a patch of skin showing.

"Wow that is so cool." The children were more than a little impressed by their costumes, and they drew stares from a lot of their classmates and adults around the high school.

The trick-or-treating went well, with kids running excitedly all over town, eager to get as much candy as possible.

"Alright, it's almost time go get back. Let's hit a few more houses before we do." Buffy grinned at her group.

* * *

A strange feeling began to wash over her as they walked, and she staggered and nearly fell over. She leaned against a fence, and when she stood up, her eyes narrowed in hatred.

"Die, daemon scum." She raised her left hand and leveled the large gun at the nearest monster before her. A glowing ball burst from the gun and slammed into the creature, burning a large hole in its chest.

"Cleanse and purify." Her right hand swung to the side, and the sword in her hand cut through another monster. Seeing the threat, the monsters grouped together and charged her en masse.

"Be gone, in the Emperor's name." Her eyes glowed and her right hand began to emit sparks of energy. A shockwave hit the group of monsters and scattered them across the street.

"This is Inquisitor Selena Vandis to all Imperial forces. Respond in the Emperor's name." She activated her vox unit and sent out a general broadcast. She hoped she was not alone in this strange world.

* * *

"Burn, heretic." Xander shouted as he leveled his incinerator at a group of monsters and strangely dressed humans charging at him. Screams of pain and death echoed across the street as the burning promethium did its grisly work.

"Come and taste the Emperor's wrath." He leveled his nemesis force spear at the survivors. His silver-grey power armor gleamed under the fire from the burning corpses. The monsters decided that fighting the armored behemoth was not the best idea, and they scrambled away.

"This is Grey Knights Terminator Siler Radan. I am at your service, honored Inquisitor." Xander replied, before focusing his psyker powers to locate the Inquisitor.

* * *

"The Omnissiah guides my hand." Willow used her lasgun to push back several creatures that assaulted her. A large furry creature managed to push through, but was stopped as a long robotic arm with a large claw grabbed its arm and snapped it.

Using this distraction, Willow fired several shots in its skull. "Enginseer Vana Osus responding. How can the Machine Cult serve the Inquisition?" She retracted her mechadendrite and activated her auspex to locate all Imperial markers.

* * *

Buffy released a sigh of relief. A single Terminator and an Enginseer was not a large force, but it was enough to figure out what was going on. Ever since she suddenly appeared in this world, she had a strange feeling about the place. There was also the feeling she got from the Immaterium as she drew power from the Warp.

The most painful revelation was the complete absence of the Astronomican and the Emperor's light. This fact alone nearly brought her to despair as it brought thoughts too terrible to contemplate. However, she was surprised to feel that she could not sense even a trace of the Ruinous Powers as well.

"Inquisitor, may I ask what is going on? I have scanned the sky, and all constellations point to a single fact. This is Holy Terra." Xander walked through the street unmolested while Buffy was busy fighting a pair of vampires.

"I do not know, but I sense some sort of foul sorcery blanket this city. Perhaps if we find the source, we may be able to find what is going on here." Buffy replied.

"It is indeed a most strange place the Emperor has led us. I wonder how it is we ended up here?" Willow managed to reach the pair of psykers as well.

"I believe we will find our answers this way." Buffy pointed in a direction, and the trio started walking.

* * *

Meanwhile, the local vampire leader Spike decided to look what was going on in the city as his girlfriend Drusilla made a somewhat confusing prediction.

The city was in complete chaos, and all sort of creatures were running about, doing all sorts of mayhem.

"Now this is fun." He grinned, his vampiric face lit in glee at the havoc around him.

"Cleanse. Purge. Kill." He heard a strange voice shout, followed by the sound of gunfire and explosions accompanied with flashes of flame.

"Oh bloody hell." He stopped in his tracks as he saw the three figures that were blasting through the crowd of creatures in the streets. For the most part, they killed only a few, their attacks serving more to clear them a path.

Of the three, he only recognized one, but that was enough to send a shiver of pure terror down his spine as he watched the Slayer simply wave her hand and a dozen creatures simply fly everywhere as some invisible force flung them.

'Maybe I should look into the quickest way out of town, just in case.' Spike's face became human again as he turned around and retreated to his hideout.

* * *

"This is the source of the spell affecting the city." They walked into Ethan's and found a large altar with a two-faced bust on it.

"Then our course is clear." Xander hefted his spear and swung it down, obliterating the statue and breaking Ethan's spell. Of the sorcerer, there was no trace.

"What the…" Buffy shook her head as she felt the spell's effects fade from her body.

"Xander, what happened to you?" Willow shouted as she caught sight of Xander. He was currently seven feet tall and built of solid muscle. He was also covered in a drape as his costume lay in pieces around his feet.

"I have no idea, but I think it's a good idea to get out of here." Xander replied. Regardless of what the hell had happened, he had no desire to let the two girls see him naked.

* * *

"I see. This is a truly fascinating event. You say none of the other people affected retained such changes?" Rupert Giles, the high school librarian and Buffy's Watcher was quite shocked when the trio walked in the library.

"Yes. As far as I saw, we're the only ones that retained more than mere fragments of the people we turned into." Buffy replied.

"What exactly did change in you?" Giles swore to hunt down and murder his old friend very, very slowly, but first, he wanted to find out what had happened to the three children under his charge.

"I'll go first, if you don't mind. I was dressed as a Mechanicus Enginseer. While my body didn't change, I do have the knowledge on how to construct almost any technology used by the Imperium. Putting that knowledge to practical use will be very difficult, though. A lot of the technology is very advanced." Willow replied.

"I was dressed as an Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus. While I didn't change as much as Xander, I did get a new ability out of this. I am now a psyker. Before you ask, a psyker is a human with the ability to draw power from the Immaterium and use it to perform various acts in the real world. Normally, this is a very dangerous practice, as the Warp is inhabited with a wide host of malignant creatures. Here, however the Warp is quite calm. I sense no entities in it, malignant or otherwise." Buffy sighed before continuing.

"The knowledge and the memories are the worst, though. I remember wars, death and sites of daemon worship that would drive a person mad. To think that such evil can exist in the universe breaks my heart."

"Not all of these memories can be that bad. Surely you some good as well." Giles tried to comfort her.

"Yes, there was. I also remember acts of courage, valor and dedication that served as an inspiration to all who have witnessed them. I have seen the worst, as well as the best in humanity." She grinned sadly. Giles could see that the trio would recover from the ordeal, but it would be a slow and very difficult path.

"As far as memories and powers go, I got pretty much the same deal as Buffy, and let me tell you, some of the daemons this guy fought were real nasty. As for changes, where do I start?" Xander sighed.

"I was a Grey Knight Terminator, an elite genetically altered soldier. There are a number of special implants throughout my body that are meant to enhance or aid me in some way. Why they're still here, I have no idea. All I know is, if even one of them gets messed up, the rest will follow and then it's all over for Xander Harris." Xander grumbled.

"How likely is that from happening?" Giles asked.

"The chance is small, but not something to ignore. All Space Marines go through regular check-ups to ensure that their implants are functioning well as well. There's also the fact that I have no working armor or weapons. I feel kinda naked without them. Can you make something, Willow?"

"You want me to make a functioning Terminator armor and its associated equipment using the technology available in this day and age?" Willow gave him an incredulous stare. "If I manage to stumble on a working STC machine somewhere around here, then sure. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult."

"How difficult? I would prefer to have some weapons as well. Not all daemons are as easily killed as vampires." Buffy grinned. She had also gained a lot of combat training with the memories, and she was eager to get her hands on the force sword again.

* * *

"The ability to manufacture the raw components alone like adamantium, ceramite and other such materials will take a lot of time, effort and money to obtain. And that is just for the most basic stuff. I don't even know if it will be possible to create the more complicated stuff." Willow complained.

"Wills, if anyone can do it, it's you. Meanwhile, we'll have to make do with that is already available in the world." Xander gave her an assuring grin. While all three teens have been changed from the experience, Xander's change was the most profound.

Willow was already a geek, and her evolution into an Enginseer was not a major change to her personality. She had become more focused and analytical, but nothing too drastic.

Buffy's experiences had already tempered her heart against evil, and her new memories as a member of the Ordo Malleus only enhanced her dedication to defend humanity against evil.

The memories Xander inherited turned him into a warrior and through the experiences and events they carried, into a leader. He had memories of leading squads of Grey Knights into battle, men who put their faith in him to make the best plan to lead them to victory. It was a profound experience that could make or break a person.

Xander proved he had a spirit worthy of the Grey Knights as he refused to buckle against the horrors that suddenly engulfed his mind, but fought them and emerged victorious, just as he knew the girls had done. Their eyes showed the determination and the spark of victory.

Left unsaid was the fact that while possessed, they killed several possessed people and children. The latter hit the trio especially hard, and they all knew that this was a burden they would carry for the rest of their lives, but at the same time, they swore to fight even harder against all evil.

"The most important question now is, how do we explain Xander's new appearance?" Giles broke their contemplation.

"We can just say he was injured tonight. Something that will keep him away from school for several months. We can say we'll tutor him to keep him on track, and when he comes back, he can just say he was working out a lot. It's a bit of a stretch, but stranger things have happened in this city." Buffy proposed an idea after a few minutes.

"It will have to do. I hope you'll be able to make the whole ruse pass scrutiny?" Giles turned to Willow who gave him an assured nod.

"Then I suggest you should get back home. It has been a long night." Giles ushered the teens out of the library.

'Now, Ethan old mate, where are you?' Giles's face took on a grim smile. No one messed with his charges on his watch.


	2. Chapter 2

This was a very difficult chapter to write, and it took me several rewrites before I was happy with it. For the most part, each chapter will deal with an episode, but I might merge several together if it suits my plots. On another note, I also have a little challenge if anyone is interested. I'm not sure if there are any stories with it already, so here's my idea. Another Halloween fic where Xander dresses as Alexander Anderson from Hellsing. I would like to see if anyone can make this idea work.

**Chapter 2**

"Emperor protect me!" Buffy screamed as she jumped out of her bed, soaked in sweat and heart racing like crazy.

Once the surprise and shock of their changes wore off, the nightmares began. Even Willow, whose added personality saw little combat spent mostly sleepless nights thanks to those memories.

The Inquisitor that possessed Buffy had almost two centuries fighting strong demons and the traitors and heretics that served them thanks to her great psychic ability and unwavering faith in the Emperor. In that time, she had seen horrors that would have driven a lesser man beyond insane.

Buffy's experiences left her woefully unprepared for the terrors of the 41 Millennium, but slowly, as the nights followed, she found the nightmares lessen in intensity and frequency.

It would be months, maybe even years before she managed to deal with the memories completely and accept the Inquisitor as a part of her, but she would manage. Giving up was not in Buffy's vocabulary.

Until that time, the nightmares would be a constant companion for the teen.

* * *

Willow coped by working for hours, writing down the blue prints and formulas for every shred of technology in her mind. This kept her mind focused and away from the terrors that now inhabited it, and also, let her accept that some good came out of the whole experience.

* * *

Xander was hit the hardest of the trio. He was a relaxed, happy go-lucky kind of guy that didn't care much about the harsh reality of the world.

The Grey Knight changed it all. He had moved out of his house and into an old warehouse after killing the small vampire group that had holed up in it. He was surprised how easy it was to dispatch them when before, he would have been dead against even one.

The vampires had been busy, and his new home already has electricity and a few beds, along with a small stash of cash. He used an old oil drum to make a crude heating stove for colder nights and managed to salvage a working gas stove for cooking. Getting it hooked up to the gas line took a little effort, but he managed to hook it up without any leaks.

Once he got the basics set, he spent his time training or meditating or on any menial, mindless task that kept him away from thinking about his life and the memories he gained. Eventually, the fatigue would grow too much, and he would have no choice but to sleep.

It was in these short hours of sleep that he compared himself to the Grey Knight and sought a way to process everything his visitor had left him in a way that wouldn't destroy whatever shred of sanity he managed to preserve.

Xander Harris was a young man who was, to be honest with himself, wasting his life without any goals or interests beyond finishing high school.

The Grey Knight was a warrior of the Imperium, with faith and devotion to the Emperor that was unmatched. He had stood against demons, heretics and aliens with the absolute certainty that despite their horrible power, they could not match the might of the Imperium, and Xander now found himself slowly accepting the same beliefs.

"Faith is my shield." This had become his mantra against the terrors in his mind. As he began to train his new body, he found himself unconsciously also spend time in prayer. The first few times, he broke it off, but as the days passed and the nightmares began to weigh on his mind, he found that the prayer and the recitation of holy litanies helped him cope with the memories.

* * *

"You don't look so good." Willow greeted Buffy with a yawn.

"Had trouble sleeping as usual. How are you holding up?" Buffy yawned as well.

"Same as you. I spend most of my nights drawing blueprints." Willow replied.

"Hey Buffy. Long time no see." Buffy turned around and gasped in surprise when she recognized the person that approached her.

"Ford?" She grinned and gave him a hug.

"Willow, this is Billy Fordham, an old friend of mine from L.A. Ford, Willow Rosenberg. So, what brings you here?" Buffy grinned at her old friend.

"My dad got transferred here." Ford shrugged as he examined Buffy. Her hair was no longer blond as she had returned it to her natural color, and her face showed signs of fatigue.

"Would you like to join us tonight? We're going to the Bronze." Buffy asked, and Ford nodded in confirmation.

The rest of school passed quickly, and soon enough, Buffy and Willow were at the Bronze. Ford arrived a few minutes after them, and they soon took a table where Ford amused Willow by telling embarrassing stories about Buffy.

"Excuse me for a moment." Buffy had caught sight of Angel. The cursed vampire had been scarce since Halloween, and this was the first time she had seen him since.

"Hey, I haven't seen you in a while." Buffy greeted him.

"I heard what happened on Halloween. I thought I'd give you some time alone." Angel replied softly.

Buffy was conflicted about the admission. On one hand, she could have used his support, but on the other, her conflicting emotions and complications about having a relationship with a vampire would have only compounded on her mental troubles.

"Thanks. What have you been up to since Halloween?" Buffy asked.

"Not much. Things have been pretty quiet lately." Angel shrugged.

"I've been thinking a bit these past few days, and I think we shouldn't move past friendship between us." Buffy blurted out suddenly.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Angel was both confused and relieved. After all, Buffy had been chasing him pretty hard.

"Halloween changed me, big time. I can no longer pretend you're not what you are." Buffy sighed.

"That's alright. It's probably better this way." Angel sighed.

"Thanks. Oh, before I forget, could you get this and bring it to Xander?" She pulled out a list of groceries and a wad of bills.

"Sure. See you around, Buffy." Angel gave her a small smile and walked out of the club.

* * *

"Xander, you here?" Angel called out as he walked in the warehouse, carrying two large paper bags.

"Over here." Xander called him over to his living area.

"Thanks man, I've been running a bit low on food. You met with Buffy then?" Xander turned as the vampire was putting the bags on his table.

"Yeah. She told me she was giving up me. I am relieved, but…" Angel sighed.

"A part of you wonders if it would have worked out somehow." Xander finished the unspoken part. "Don't beat yourself up with what-ifs. Hey, do you mind helping me with something?"

"What is it?" Angel asked.

"Follow me." Xander led him out of his living area and around a pile of old crates.

"Tell me, does that affect you in any way?" Xander pointed to the large image of a two-headed eagle painted on one of the walls.

Angel took a single look at the image and turned away with a hiss, his face changing to his demonic form.

"It feels like a damn cross, only worse. What is it?" Angel asked once they were back to the living area and Xander was busy putting his groceries in the small fridge and the few cupboards he had.

"The Imperial Aquila. The guy that possessed me on Halloween also served as a Chaplain for a time, so I know all the rituals and ceremonies. Consecrating an image of the Aquila was easy enough." Xander grinned.

"That explains it, then. It is a blessed image of a faith." Angel nodded. While crosses were the most used, that didn't mean that only crosses affected vampires. Almost any religious symbol could repel them, provided a person's faith in the image was strong enough. Blessing the image only added to its power.

"Yeah. I thought to myself, vampires have been around for hundreds of thousands of years, so why are they only affected by a religious image that is only two thousand years old?" Xander sat down across from the vampire and offered him a beer.

"Any icon can repel a vampire, but you have to believe in it to work." Angel replied as he took a sip from the can.

"It's all a matter of faith. I thought that might be the case. Well, that's good to know. So, have you heard anything about your old friend Spike?" Xander asked.

"Not much. Word on the street is he's looking for something, but I don't know what exactly." Angel shrugged.

"I was planning on going on patrol tonight to give Buffy a little extra sleep tonight. You want to join me?" Xander asked.

"Sure. I could use a little action." Angel grinned.

* * *

The pair didn't meet anything more exciting than a few young vampires, who were dispatched quickly, and around dawn, they parted ways, each returning to their own abode for some rest.

It seemed that Spike was definitely planning something, as Giles told them that someone had broken into the library and made off with several books. Fortunately, Giles kept a detailed record and could easily identify what was stolen, but finding out why those books were stolen would take time as he had to order replacements for them, and they were not easy to come by.

"So, tell me about this old friend that showed up." Xander asked as he patrolled with Buffy the following night.

"We've been going to school together in L.A. for seven years. We were good friends back then; I even had a crush on him for a while." Buffy shrugged.

"He sounds like an alright guy." Xander commented.

"Yeah, he's alright. I wouldn't want to involve him in all this, but he's alright." Buffy grinned. She was glad she could pretend to be normal with her friend for a change.

"By the way, I made a great discovery yesterday with Angel's help. I consecrated an image of the Aquila and Angel confirmed it had the same effect as a blessed cross." Xander grinned.

"That's good to know. It will be useful to put our newfound faith to good use." Buffy grinned.

"Faith in the Emperor is its own reward." Xander muttered absently as he scanned the cemetery before them for undead.

"That it is. I don't sense anything around here. You?" Buffy turned to her friend. Their psyker senses could easily detect anything sentient around them, and they could easily differentiate between humans, demons or vampires.

"Nothing. Should we split up?" He asked.

"We'll work faster that way. I'll take this side." Buffy nodded and walked away.

"You can give me the Slayer, you say?" Spike looked at the human before him with contempt. He was far too annoying for his taste, but the offer he made was too good to pass up.

"That's right. All you'll have to do is show up and take her down." Ford nodded.

"No way, mate. The only way I'm getting within fifty feet of her if she's knocked out and tied with nice, thick chains. Do that and we have a deal, alright?" Spike grinned. If the idiot managed it, he'd be rid of a major annoyance for himself. If he failed, then the Slayer would destroy him. Either way, he benefited from it.

* * *

"Hey Buffy, you got a minute?" The next day at school, Ford approached Buffy.

"Sure, what's on your mind?" Buffy gave him a smile as he stopped before her.

"Would you like to hang out tonight?" Ford asked. Buffy opened her mouth, but suddenly, a vision entered her mind. She saw an underground club, and in it, she saw Ford, standing next to Spike above her. She was unconscious and tied with chains.

"Sure. What time should we meet?" Buffy's face showed no change as the vision passed.

"Come to this address around nine." Ford gave her a piece of paper with an address and walked away.

'What are you doing, Ford?' Buffy sighed. Sometimes she felt like the Slayer powers came with a curse.

Instead of waiting until tonight, she decided to keep an eye on Ford using her mental power, and when he headed towards the address he gave her, she followed him, entering the underground club only minutes after him.

"This is a strange place, Ford." Ford turned, surprised Buffy was there, but a quick signal had the door locked.

"The sun will set soon, and our friends will arrive." Ford declared loudly as the gathered teens around them cheered.

"You betrayed our friendship and sold me out for what? Becoming a vampire?" Buffy spat at Ford's feet.

"I have brain cancer. I only have a few months left to live. Between that and vampirism, I choose vampirism." Ford said calmly.

"I will not let you do this Ford." Buffy replied and easily dodged to the side as one of the people tried to hit her from behind with a crowbar.

"Just give in, Buffy. It will be easier on all of us." Ford spoke up as she dodged the next two swings as well.

"I will never surrender while the enemies of humanity still draw breath." She growled as her eyes lit up with eldritch fire. A moment later, everyone around her was flung off their feet.

"In honor of our friendship, I'll make it quick." Buffy whispered as she raised Ford and quickly snapped his neck. "I'm sorry things ended this way."

* * *

This was the moment the door opened, and the first thing Spike saw was the Slayer standing over the body of her friend. The vampire closed the door immediately and jumped to the side, which turned out to be a good idea as the steel door was blasted clear off its hinges and took two of his escorts with it as it sailed across the entry hallway.

"Why did I even listen to that brat?" Spike rushed to get away before Buffy could come out and get him.

Her friends had met her just outside the club and noticed her solemn expression.

"Are you alright, Buffy?" Willow asked.

"No, Willow. I will be, though. All I need is time." She smiled sadly.

"You can count on us to have your back, Buffy." Xander said firmly.

"Always. Come on, I want to show you some of the plans I've come up with. You'll love them." Willow changed the subject, and Buffy grinned in gratitude.

Even in the blackest day, one could hope for a brighter tomorrow, and for the trio, this hope appeared to be just what they needed to overcome their troubles.


	3. Chapter 3

After looking through the episodes, I decided to combine a few in this chapter. I also have a little surprise in store for this fic, but it won't be revealed until the end of season 2, so you'll have to wait a while longer. On another note, I know that my definition of machine spirits may not be strictly cannon, but for the purpose of my fic my definition stands. Well, hope everyone likes it.

**Chapter 3**

"Why did you call us over, Willow?" Buffy and Xander walked in the library after Willow asked them to join her. Giles was already there, feeling curious as well.

"I wanted to update you on my own actions. While you were out patrolling, I've been busy working on ways to upgrade our equipment and fighting ability. Last night, I completed the first phase of my plan." Willow said proudly.

"What exactly did you do, Willow, and what is your plan?" Giles asked.

"While it would be impossible to create the weapons and equipment of the 41st Millennium, I managed to design some weapons that can be built with the technology available today. Of course, to build them, I needed two things, funding and a place to work. Last night, I took care of those two issues." Willow grinned.

"Please tell me you did nothing illegal." Giles sighed, knowing that he would hear just that.

"Unfortunately, appropriating the necessary funds was the only way to get the resources we need. Don't worry; there is no way it can be traced back to us." Willow assured him.

"What makes you so sure? Who did you rob, and how much did you take?" Giles pressed on. They had enough on their plate without involving the law.

"Before I went after the funding, I began to commune with the machine spirits in the bank's servers. They are rather simple, but that only made my job easier." Willow began.

"What exactly are these machine spirits?" Giles interrupted.

"I can't explain it really. Basically, every construct designed for a purpose has one, but it wasn't until the machines grew complex enough that they were discovered. The Mechanicus learned how to commune with the spirits and over time, command them to better serve the Imperium. Considering how simple the spirits are in this age, putting them under my control took little effort.

While I was transferring the money, they scrambled all the log files and they will continue to divert all traces away from us and through large, endless loops. As for how much, I gathered two billion dollars from various criminal syndicates." Willow surprised them all.

"That was a bold move. I expect you have already secured a location as well?" Buffy was unconcerned about Willow's actions as Gilles spluttered in shock. The money was made at the expense of others, and putting it to better use was something she supported wholeheartedly.

"Yes. A factory at the outskirts of town has been for sale for some time. I have already secured the deed, and once I examine it, I can start to bring in equipment and supplies. It will be a bit hard to work on my own, but I'll manage." Willow grinned.

"Anything we can do?" Xander asked.

"You can go and check it out to make sure nothing has taken residence there. It is quite possible that there could be vampires there. Xander, you are free to move in as well. It might be a good idea to have you nearby." Willow replied.

"I know I can't talk you out of whatever you have planned, but please, be careful. Buffy, tonight is blood delivery night at the hospital." Giles informed her.

Buffy nodded and together with Xander and Willow, walked out of the library.

* * *

The factory was fortunately completely abandoned, and while Xander staked himself a nice corner of the building, Willow began marking out areas of the factory for different purposes, and with Xander's help, cleared out all the trash from the structure, fixed up the utilities and replaced the broken windows.

She had begun ordering the machines and supplies for the plant, which would arrive over the course of the next month and by her estimate, she would be able to start manufacturing within three months.

* * *

On their next scheduled meeting, the trio walked in the library on a nice Saturday morning to find Giles and Ethan fighting a dead looking man.

"Demon filth." Buffy growled as she sensed the entity inside the corpse. Xander had sensed it as well, and as one, their eyes began to glow as they gathered power.

Xander's spell washed over the corpse, holding it in place just before Buffy's spell struck it full force and obliterated the entity. Without the demon, the corpse simply collapsed onto the ground.

"So, would anyone care to explain what was going on here?" Buffy asked.

"I suppose you deserve to know the truth. In my youth, I was a bit wilder, more rebellious. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd, and we started to experiment with magic. Dangerous, forbidden magic." Giles began with a sigh.

"What sort of magic?" Buffy narrowed her eyes.

"Demon summoning. The demon you destroyed was called Eyghon. We would summon it and let it possess one of us. It was the ultimate high. Then one day, one of our friends was killed by it, and we dispersed." Gilles confessed.

"You know, my respect for you has both plummeted and risen at the same time. I'll never figure you out, will I?" Buffy grinned, showing him that she didn't hold his past against him. In fact, the darker parts of his personality would fit right in with the servants of the Imperium in the trio.

"What should we do with costume boy here?" Xander turned their attention to himself. Ethan was safely secured by the much larger boy.

"That is for Giles to decide. Ethan is his friend, after all." Buffy shrugged.

"Ethan, your actions have caused great damage here, but at the same time, you have given these three a great blessing, however unwitting it might have been. For that, I will let you leave with your life, but if you ever set foot in this town again, I will destroy you myself." Giles growled as he buried his fist in Ethan's gut, dropping him like an empty sack.

"Now get out of my sight."

* * *

"I really don't see the point of this test. I already have a job, well sort of." Buffy sighed as she was working through the mandatory test for the school's career week.

"Don't be so gloomy, Buffy. Don't you want to know what you would have ended up as if you hadn't been called?" Willow grinned as she worked on her own test.

"How are things at the plant?" Buffy ignored the question completely.

"The machines have begun to arrive. I'll be able to get the smelting operation started in a couple of weeks.

While it was impossible to produce the technology used in the Imperium, some materials like ceramite and adamantium could be manufactured using modern smelters, although with a fair bit more impurities. Armor made from it wouldn't be able to endure the weapons of the 41 millennium, but against the weapons available in the 20th century, it was practically impervious.

"That's good to know. I could use a little more protection on me." Buffy grinned.

"Well, let's get going. We don't want to be late for class." Willow stood up, putting her test on top of her books.

* * *

The next day, the results were out, and Buffy grinned inwardly as she read the list. For her, the recommendation was that she try law enforcement, while for Xander, she was surprised to see it said he should try and join the clergy.

There was nothing about Willow, but moments later, one of the teachers led her away to a separate lounge where she was informed that a leading software company was interested in hiring her.

To their disappointment, Willow declined their offer, as her work in her new factory was already eating a massive amount of her time.

* * *

"Giles, do you recognize this symbol?" Buffy handed her Watcher a ring. There was still some blood on it.

"This is the mark of the Order of Taraka. Where did you find it?" Gilles gasped.

"Some asshole tried to kill me while I was on patrol. I believe he was human, since I didn't sense any demonic taint from him. So, what's this Order thing?" Buffy replied calmly.

"They are an ancient order of assassins. They are famous for never giving up on a contract. When one assassin fails, another comes to take their place. Someone has put out a contract against you." Giles frowned.

"It's probably Spike, which means he's likely to be planning something nasty." Buffy sighed.

"He is indeed the most likely candidate, and along with the recent book theft, it all certainly points to him." Giles mused.

"Did you figure out what was in the stolen books?" Buffy asked.

"I'm still working on tracking down a few, but the ones I managed to track down have nothing in them that should concern us for the moment."

"Alright then. I'll keep my eyes open for more assassins. You try to figure out what Spike is planning." With that, Buffy walked out of the library and back into the night.

"Damn, someone got lucky tonight." Buffy cursed as she saw the pair of vampires running away from a cemetery. "I'll get them another time."

* * *

"Oh shit." Willy the barkeep, the owner of Willy's, a real dive of a place famous as a hangout for every inhuman creature in Sunnydale groaned as Buffy walked in.

Immediately, several patrons rushed out, and the rest shifted further away from the bar.

Willy's face grew even paler as Angel walked in just moments after Buffy.

"What brings you here?" Buffy grinned as she turned to face the vampire. "Willy, two shots of your best stuff."

"Right away, ma'am. Nothing but the best for the Slayer." The greasy little man rushed to comply, making sure it was his best stuff he was pouring. The last time he had tried to give her the cheap stuff she had broken his arm and three fingers.

"I heard a rumor that the Order of Taraka was in town, so I thought I'd ask Willy what he knows." Angel shrugged.

"It's probably our old friend Spike, right Willy?" Buffy quickly downed the shot, exhaling contently as the liquor burned down her throat.

"Yes ma'am. He is indeed behind the Order's presence here. Do you require anything else?" Willy spoke rapidly, pouring her another shot.

"Nothing for now. Enjoy the rest of the evening, everyone." Buffy downed her second glass and walked out.

Willy looked like he was about to protest the fact she didn't pay, but the pain in his arm told him otherwise. He knew perfectly well that he was only alive because he was useful to her, and he wasn't about to endanger his existence considering he had enough trouble with his usual patrons.

* * *

As the pair walked down one of the many alleys, a dark skinned girl suddenly jumped out from behind a dumpster and attacked them.

"That was fast. The Order of Taraka sure works fast. At least you're better than the last one." Buffy grinned as she fought the girl.

"I am not from the Order of Taraka, vampire. I am Kendra, the vampire slayer." The girl sneered.

"First, I'm not a vampire." Buffy blocked the girl's punch and slammed her against the wall behind her. "And second, I am the vampire slayer."

With that, she pulled out a dagger and pressed it against the girl's throat.

"You're coming with me. Let's see if Giles can shed some light on this whole mess." Buffy kept the blade on Kendra's throat as she marched her towards the library.

"Is she another assassin?" Giles frowned, wondering why Buffy hadn't just killed the girl.

"No. She claims to be the Slayer." This surprised the Watcher.

"I've never heard of there being two Slayers. You are certain of this?" Giles frowned.

"I know what I am. My Watcher Sam Zabuto sent me here to stop a great evil from rising." Kendra said calmly.

"So, any explanation, Giles?" Buffy noticed Giles relaxed when Kendra mentioned her Watcher, and realized she was on the level.

"Oh. Well, it is possible she was called when you died fighting the Master. You were dead long enough for the next potential to be activated." Giles offered them an explanation after a minute.

"Well, that's good to know. Welcome to the club, I guess." Buffy released the girl and held out her hand.

"What about him? I sense he is a vampire." Kendra pointed at Angel.

"He is a useful ally, and no threat to humanity. Regardless of that, he is my responsibility." Buffy's tone allowed no protest, and Kendra nodded in acknowledgment.

* * *

"Hey, who's your new friend, Buffy?" Willow walked in, giving Kendra a curious look.

"She's the new Vampire Slayer. Her name is Kendra." Buffy shrugged.

"I see. I'm Willow, nice to meet you. Anyway, I got this for you, Buffy. It's not a force weapon, but Xander went all out with the blessings." Willow put the bag she carried on the table and pulled out a long sword.

Buffy picked it up and gave it a few expert swings. "Let's put it to the test, then. Angel, would you please touch this?" Buffy held the sword at him. Angel did so carefully, doing so with a single finger. The moment he touched it, the sword flashed with golden light and Angel pulled his hand back, cradling a smoking stump where his finger had been.

"Sorry about that. You'll be alright?" Buffy turned towards him in concern.

"Yeah, it will grow back in a couple of days. Do me a favor and next time test your toys on someone else." Angel sighed. He had noticed a rather striking difference between Christianity and the Imperial Cult, ever since Xander first showed him that image he had blessed.

The blessings of Christianity acted in a defensive manner, repelling or blocking vampires, but Imperial blessings were very aggressive, as the Imperium wasn't as interested in shielding itself from demons as much as it was interested in destroying them.

It made sense, after all, that the religion of such a dark and violent age reflect it in its practices.

"Sure. Come on, I'll walk you home." Buffy grinned.

* * *

The next day, Buffy and Willow were attending the career fair, and they dragged Kendra along with them for company.

"Buffy Summers. Who is Buffy Summers?" A woman in a cop uniform called out.

"Right here." Buffy walked up to the cop, and to her surprise, the woman suddenly pulled out her gun and aimed it right at her.

Jumping forward, she managed to grab the woman's arm and aim the gun upwards as it fired. The sound of gunfire caused a lot of panic in the assembled students and they began running around as Buffy managed to subdue the woman.

"Summers, what the hell is going on here?" Principal Snyder arrived, looking livid.

"I don't know, sir. This woman suddenly pulled her weapon on me and tried to kill me." Buffy replied from atop the struggling woman.

"Can you keep her down until the police arrives?" Snyder asked after a minute, and Buffy nodded.

"So, you're from the Order of Taraka, then?" Buffy whispered.

"I'm not the only one, girl. The Order has never failed a contract." The woman snarled.

* * *

"I heard you had an exciting morning." Giles grinned.

"I'm not in the mood, Giles. What did you discover?" Buffy glared at him.

"I finally found what book Spike was after. It was a book written by Josephus du Lac. One of the things it talks about is how to restore a sick vampire to full health. I believe Spike is going to perform the ritual to restore Drusilla." Giles replied.

"Do you know what he needs for this ritual?" Buffy asked.

"A full moon, which is tonight, and the sick vampire's sire, which in Drusilla's case happens to be Angel."

"Willow, get Xander and meet me outside Angel's apartment. Kendra, you're with me." Buffy stood up. Her romantic involvement with the vampire may have been over, but she still cared for him.

"Who and what are you?" Kendra was wide-eyed as she saw Xander, who was holding a massive two-handed sword in a single hand, standing next to a much smaller Willow.

"Xander Harris. As for what I am, it's a long story. So, is Angel here?" He turned to Buffy.

"The place is trashed. Looks like they dragged him off. Still, we should be able to find them if we try together." Buffy held out her hand to him. As one, their eyes ignited with the energies of the Warp as the air around them grew frigid.

"Found them." Buffy and Xander said as one and rushed away, the rest of their group following close behind.

* * *

They arrived in an old church where the ritual had already begun. There was a large group of vampires and another man that to their senses felt like a demon.

"Xander, take down that demon and then move to the vampires. Kendra, keep the rest of them busy as I interrupt the ritual." Buffy ordered and tightened her grip around her sword.

Spike felt a sudden chill in the air before a group of his minions were suddenly flung about the room like rag dolls by an invisible force.

"Damn, the bloody Slayer is here. Come on love, we're getting out of here." Spike picked up Drusilla, moving quickly to the back door of the church.

Meanwhile, Xander was busy with the demon that turned out to exist as a swarm of bugs. A quick application of Warp Lightning left the insects extra crispy and smoking on the ground, and he turned his attention to the vampires, his blessed blade cutting through them like they were air.

Five minutes later, all that was left of the vampires was dust, and Buffy was fussing over the unconscious Angel.

"Well, that was fun. I'm going back to the factory, then. Later." Xander separated from them as they walked towards the school.

"I should get back home as well. The sun will rise soon." Angel managed to recover a bit from the ritual.

"I need to return to my Watcher as well. This town is in good hands." Kendra smiled at Buffy, who returned the gesture.

"I should get back home as well before my parents start to worry." Willow walked away as well, leaving Buffy alone.

"A good night's work. Sleep sounds good right about now." Buffy yawned a bit, grinning a little as she walked towards her home.


	4. Chapter 4

Despite a lot of trouble with it, I finally managed to complete this chapter. The one thing that surprised me the most was how AU this story got almost from the start, but I managed to develop some ideas on how to get Angel to L.A. (eventually) and bring Faith in at a later date. On another note, I hope you will all like how Ted ended up :)

**Chapter 4**

After the big fight against Spike, the contract on Buffy had apparently been canceled as no more Tarakan assassins had come after her, and life returned to normal.

Buffy, Xander and Angel alternated their patrols, keeping the undead menace in Sunnydale in check while Willow was busy in the factory.

"It's really unfortunate that I can't get any workers in the factory, since there's only so much Xander and I can accomplish on our own." Willow complained as she and Buffy walked towards Buffy's house where Buffy had invited her over for dinner. Ever since Halloween, the trio wasn't hanging out as much, and Buffy had decided that she wasn't going to allow their new personalities to interfere with the good habits they had developed.

They were surprised when the two girls walked on Buffy's mother kissing a man they had never met before.

"How about an introduction, mom?" Buffy grinned.

"Oh, right. Buffy, this is Ted Buchanan. Ted, my daughter Buffy and her friend Willow." Joyce Summers managed to recover enough to handle the introductions.

"Nice to meet you." Buffy shook his hand. On the inside however she was thinking furiously what the hell it meant that the man was a complete void to her warp senses.

* * *

She went over anything she knew from both worlds, but all she had come up with was a demon she hadn't read about or the more unlikely reason was that the man was an anti-psyker. The latter was added more as an alternative, since the man didn't feel like one.

As dinner went underway, Ted and Willow began to discuss various computer related topics as Ted informed them he was a computer software salesman, while Buffy was grilling her mother on how the two met.

"I suspect foul play." Buffy whispered in Gothic to Willow in case whatever Ted was had above human hearing. Willow did not react, but understood the message.

After dinner, the two girls managed to follow Ted to his home, where Buffy wasted no time to confront him by pinning him to the wall and holding her sword at his neck.

* * *

"You have five seconds to tell me what you are and why are you going after my mother." Buffy snapped. Behind her, Willow was holding a repeating crossbow loaded with blessed bolts.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, young lady. Now put me down before I get angry." Ted seemed unconcerned by her threats and managed to push her away while getting nicked by Buffy's sword, only for Willow to shoot him.

The metal bolt buried deep inside the man, causing sparks to arc around it as Ted collapsed.

"A machine?" Willow gasped.

"Help me get him inside." Together, the two girls managed to pull Ted inside, and they found the man's house to be rather sparsely furnished.

"Let's see what our friend really is." Buffy took out one of her hidden daggers and began to cut Ted's face, revealing circuitry and metal underneath.

"By the Omnissiah." Willow exclaimed as she bent down to get a closer look.

"I never expected something this advanced to exist with the technology available. Whoever built this must have been truly blessed by the Machine God." Willow was almost gleeful at the prospect of examining Ted.

"You think you can unlock its secrets?" Buffy asked.

"I don't think I'll have any trouble accessing its storage drives. Still, something like this is of great use to me. If I can manage to modify and reprogram it, I can use this construct as a servitor. I may even be able to duplicate it." Willow's mind was already bursting with the possibilities.

"Alright. Go get Xander and we'll take it to the factory. I'd rather not leave you alone here in case it reactivates."

"Don't damage it anymore. Repairing it will take more time, and see if you can find any spare parts or schematics while you're here." Willow snapped off as she walked away.

* * *

Xander grumbled about being used as a pack mule to haul Ted to the factory, but the girls were also loaded with various parts and schematics they managed to dig out from Ted's house so his protests were more for fun. Once they had cleared the house, which resulted in the discovery of a hidden bunker and three female corpses inside it, Buffy had doctored the gas lines and ten minutes after their departure, the house burst in a raging inferno.

"This is pure genius at work. Some of the design techniques and components used are decades old. To create a construct capable of passing as human…" Willow was practically skipping with joy.

"Before it is used, we should consecrate it and purge its machine spirit from its commands. This is after all, not Imperial technology." Xander reminded them.

"But of course. You can begin with the rituals at your leisure. I will download the contents of its data drives for examination." Willow replied.

"How long before you can use it here?" Buffy asked. Like most Imperial soldiers, she knew how to use and maintain the devices of the Imperium, but to actually repair or construct them was knowledge that was exclusive to the Mechanicus.

"I will need to repair the damage we did tonight, replace some obsolete parts with more modern components. Once that is done, I can refit the design to a more useful form. Different ocular sensors, an extra pair of arms, structural reinforcement…" Willow began muttering to herself, trying to figure out the best way to convert Ted into a factory servitor.

"This should solve your worker troubles, huh?" Buffy grinned. Willow had complained about that matter on more than one occasion since she began working on their new production base.

"I'll have it operational by the end of the week, and have it begin working on constructing more servitors. Programming will be complicated, but doable." Willow replied.

"Well, now you won't have an excuse to make me haul all sorts of heavy equipment around." Xander grinned as he returned with the items he needed to induct Ted into the Emperor's service.

* * *

Ted proved to be a real blessing for Willow, as with the increase in workers for the factory, she could now work on more projects, and two weeks later, had over a dozen servitors working all over the plant. The additional workers allowed her to complete her projects a lot faster, and now, her first success stood before her.

"Tell me how it feels." Willow observed carefully as Xander was moving in a very crude version of Astartes armor.

Little more than ceramite plates with the more complex adamantium on the weak spots, it looked more suitable on an Ork than on a Space Marine, and the simple servos and pneumatics made it slow, but it was still armor. A tank of compressed air and a large chemical battery rested on Xander's back.

"It's crude as hell. The movements are slow, it has minimal strength enhancement, and don't let me get started on the weak spots." Xander protested.

"For the fifth time Xander, you won't get shot with bolters. Only special armor-piercing bullets could possibly get through the armor plates, and those are only used by the military. Now, take this. You've dropped enough hints as it is." Willow ignored his protests and handed him a gun with a hose leading to a small metal tank.

There was enough room on his back for the tank, and as the pilot light on the flamer ignited, a huge grin spread on Xander's face.

"What is the range?" He asked.

"Five meters, two meter spread. You have ten liters of promethium in the tank, mixed with blessed oils. It's good for ten minutes of continued fire." Willow replied.

"Not bad. I can't wait to try it." Xander's grin spread even further.

"You may just get that chance. I sensed a demon beneath the school. Why don't you go and test out your new toy." Buffy had walked in. So far, demonic activity in Sunnydale was at a record low, but some still stubbornly insisted to disturb the peace.

"With pleasure." Xander thundered away, still sporting his wide grin.

* * *

"So, how did it go?" Willow asked once he was back.

"Very satisfactory. It worked extremely well on the creature. It's not as good as even a basic flamer, but against the stuff we're facing, it's more than enough." Xander grinned.

"We'll be able to produce better equipment as I construct superior manufactory equipment. It will take a while, though." Willow commented.

* * *

"Looking forward to your birthday, Buffy?" Xander asked as they walked through the city. Patrols had gotten pretty dull, as between Buffy, Xander and Angel moving through the city, vampires had quickly learned that they were no longer the most dangerous thing in the city at night.

"It's nothing special. Just another day." Buffy shrugged.

"So you won't mind if Willow and I throw you a party, then?" Xander grinned. While he had grown more serious, his playful persona still emerged occasionally.

"If you insist. Who are you going to invite?" Buffy asked.

"The three of us, of course, Giles, your mom and Cordelia." Xander replied.

"Why Cordelia? We haven't spoken much recently." Buffy frowned.

"Exactly. Sure, she has some flaws, but she's helped us out in some sticky situations. We could use the party to catch up." Xander shrugged.

"Alright, then. I'll tell mom and we can have the party at my place." Buffy grinned as her senses picked up a couple of vampires.

"You boys want a dance?" The two vampires turned nervously and they saw Buffy grinning widely as Xander leveled his flamer at them.

"I've always loved you." One of them turned to the other just before the flames washed over them.

* * *

"Xander, is that you?" Mrs. Summers stared in surprise as Xander's massive form passed through the door of the house. With seven feet in height and absolutely massive figure, Xander drew looks of awe as he walked down the street.

"Yeah, Mrs. Summers. It's a long story." Xander greeted the woman.

"Go right in the living room. Mr. Giles got here just before you did." Mrs. Summers informed him and walked back into the kitchen.

"Happy birthday, Buffy." Xander handed her a small wrapped package as he walked in.

"Hey, Xander. I'd offer you a seat, but…" Buffy trailed off.

"No problem." Xander grinned and sat cross-legged at one end of the coffee table. With his height, he fit just about right.

"Hey Buffy. Thanks for the invite. Whoa." Cordelia walked in and managed to catch sight of Xander.

"Hey Cordy. Been a while." Xander grinned.

"Xander? Well this is a surprise." Cordelia grinned and sat down next to him.

"So, vampires keep you busy, Buffy?" Cordelia asked.

"Not as much recently. Things certainly got easier after Halloween." Buffy said with as much calm as she could manage.

"Hey guys, I hope you don't mind, but I brought a guest." Willow walked in with a boy. "This is Oz. Oz, Buffy, Cordelia and Xander. And of course Giles."

"Welcome. Help yourself." Buffy gestured to the snacks on the coffee table with a smile.

"Thanks. It's not much, but happy birthday." Oz handed her a package.

"Here's my gift. I hope you like it." Willow gave her a present as well.

"Damn, whatever you're on I want some." Oz stared at Xander with surprise.

"Sorry, I'm a bit unique." While technically, Xander could use his progenoid glands to create more Grey Knights, just having the implants and equipment was not enough. Having the right neophytes was just as important.

* * *

Slowly, the party picked up and the group spent the time discussing all sorts of topics about their life in Sunnydale.

"It's time to open the presents." Cordelia cut through the conversation after they had all sampled the cake.

Buffy opened the present from Oz first, pulling out a simple leather bracelet. "Nice. Simple, yet stylish." Buffy grinned.

Giles had given her a hundred dollar voucher for a clothing store in the mall, and that earned him a thank-you hug from his protégé.

Cordelia had given her a make-up set. "Maybe now you'll look halfway descent." Buffy had spent enough time around Cordelia to know that that was how she showed she cared, so she ignored the comment.

Xander's present was a necklace with the Aquila Imperialis in gold hanging from it.

"This is incredible, Xander. It must have cost a fortune." Buffy exclaimed. She could already sense the blessings upon it, and she felt her spirit uplift by having a holy symbol of the God-Emperor with her.

Willow's present was a rosary bracelet, but instead of a cross, it had the barred I of the Inquisition. Again, she could feel the consecrations layered upon it.

* * *

"Buffy, are you here?" The party had gone past sunset, but more than one person was surprised to see Angel arrive in the house.

"Is something wrong?" Buffy approached him.

"I was at the piers just now, and I picked this up from a pair of Spike's goons." Angel deposited a large wooden chest in the rough shape of an arm on the table.

When it was opened, they could see that a large blue arm resided within.

"That looks like it belongs to the Judge. He's a demon that is supposed to separate the righteous from the wicked, and burn the rightheous." Giles commented, so caught up in the moment that he forgot that there were people who didn't know about the supernatural present.

Buffy had told her mother about her position as the Slayer, and more recently, what had happened during Halloween, but Oz didn't know anything.

So, while Buffy, Angel, Xander and Giles converged to discuss a plan, Willow and Cordelia told him all about the less pleasant residents of Sunnydale. Willow also filled him in on the events of Halloween as well as her activities in the newly constructed Factory-Cathedral.

Eventually, the group agreed with Angel's suggestion that he take the arm away. Buffy and Xander tagged along as escorts, which was a good idea as they were attacked by a dozen vampires. Despite their numbers, they were no match for the trio, and Angel got on his train without any trouble, heading east.

The next few days passed with little excitement, as Spike could not awaken the Judge without the missing arm, so he was forced to abandon the plan, and after some contemplation, he took Drusilla and left town altogether.

As for the Scoobies, Angel's absence was filled by the induction of Oz into the Cult Mechanicus.

* * *

"Do we really need all these superstitious rituals?" Oz asked as Willow instructed him in the proper litanies and the use of sacred oils, incense and the like.

"It is not superstition, Oz. The rituals greatly improve the function and durability of the machines. You'd be surprised how many devices in the Imperium function only because of regular prayer. Maintenance alone can only repair so much, after all. Have faith in the Omnissiah and your hand will never stray in your work." Willow replied. Since he had no knowledge on what life was like in the Imperium, Oz found it a bit difficult to adapt to the dogmas that guided the Adeptus Mechanicus, but he was fortunate that Willow was not a strict adherent to the laws.

Their situation demanded a level of flexibility that was necessary in the modern day and age.

"Alright. Can you repeat the…" Oz collapsed mid word as the light of the full moon washed over him from one of the skylights of the factory.

"Are you alright?" Willow asked, only for Oz to raise his head and snarl at her.

"Hold him down. Do not let him stand up." Willow calmly ordered four servitors to pin him down and observed Oz's transformation with calm detachment.

"What are you doing with the fur ball?" Xander got back in the morning to find a snarling beast being held down by servitors while Willow was busy tinkering with one of the machines.

"Oh, that's Oz. It seems he's a werewolf." Willow just shrugged.

"You're alright with this?" Xander asked.

"Yeah, he'll most likely change back once the sun goes up. We'll figure something out when he's back to human form. Although this will complicate things if he ever tries to implant augmetics." Willow commented.

"You really are ticked about that, aren't you?" Xander commented, alluding to the frequent complaints from Willow about the fact that she did not retain the implants she had during Halloween.

"I would have been far more efficient at my work if I had them. That is all." Willow huffed.

"You're not convincing anyone. Well, I'll go and hit the sack. See you in a few hours." Xander grinned and turned towards his living area.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, items and concepts are the property of their respective owners. All use is nonprofit and for fun.

A new chapter done. I would like to apologize to the readers of my other stories, but recently, inspiration has kept me focused on this one. Despite this, I plan to update them soon, and hopefully will have them done by the weekend.

I would also like to give a massive thanks to Lord Sia for the incredibly inspirational reviews. Your suggestion for Cordelia gave me a complete mental image the moment I read it, but she won't fully get into the role until she goes to L.A. and teams up with Angel. I don't expect to bring in more recruits with the exclusion of Faith. This chapter concludes with season 2 and also brings in a third fictional universe into the mix. I hope people won't have trouble figuring out which one it is.

**Chapter 5**

"I can't believe I got brought down by a mere cold." Buffy grumbled as she blew her nose. Next to her bed, the waste basket had already started to fill with the used ones.

"Everyone gets sick from time to time, Buffy. There's no shame in it." Giles encouraged her.

"What if someone attacks her while she's in the hospital?" Her mother asked. Despite Buffy's protests, her fever was too high for her to stay home.

"Xander will patrol the area, and I may be sick, but I'm hardly helpless." Buffy smirked. True enough, her psyker powers were still just as sharp.

"We should let Buffy get some rest. We can come again tomorrow." Giles reminded them that they had been there for over half an hour already.

That night, Buffy's dreams took a turn from her usual nightmares about the Imperium, and instead, she found herself in her room.

She looked into the doorway, and saw a small boy looking at her. When she locked eyes with him, he rushed away, and a strange looking man followed him.

This was combined with her long repressed memories of her cousin's death in a hospital years ago. The memories, despite lacking the intensity of her inherited memories, still had the strength to awaken her.

* * *

She rushed out into the hallway and saw two men carrying a dead child with them. From their conversation, she learned that the child had died that very night.

As she turned, she found two children blocking her path. They told her that the adults couldn't see 'him', and that he comes at night.

"Who does?" Buffy asked, her mind flashing with the image of the strange man.

"Death." The young boy replied ominously.

"Listen to me. If you see it again, come to me. I will protect you. Alright?" Buffy knelt down to speak with them. She would sooner die herself than allow a demon to slay children.

The following night, she was awoken not by nightmares, but by a group of frantic children all gathered in her room.

As she stood up, the creature appeared in the doorway just as her feet touched the floor.

"Get behind me, kids." Buffy snapped as she opened her mind to the Warp.

The children's breaths misted as everything in the room suddenly got a thin layer of frost.

"Begone, monster." Buffy roared as lightning arced from her hands and struck the demon, leaving only a charred husk as it slammed into the wall opposite the doorway.

"Thank you." The children all clustered around her, hugging her tightly.

"No problem. Just, don't tell anyone I helped you, OK?" Buffy grinned at them. The children all promised and rushed away back to their rooms.

Even if they did say anything, who would believe them? If adults heard how they were saved by a demon only their children could see by a teenage girl that could throw lighting from her hands, they would merely dismiss it as overactive imagination or fever induced hallucinations.

"That one was for you, Celia." Buffy grinned lightly as she went back to bed.

* * *

After that little bit of excitement, the rest of her stay was rather calm, and Buffy managed to recover quickly from her illness and was back to dusting vampires along with Xander.

Her routine was once again interrupted when she intervened in a lover's quarrel in school where the boy suddenly pulled a gun on the girl.

During the scuffle, the gun disappeared, and the principal was quick to put the blame on Buffy, who was distracted by sensing something when she touched the boy.

She expanded her senses and managed to feel some sort of presence. It was faint, fading in and out of her awareness, and it took her a while before she managed to identify it.

She remembered encountering a couple of children dressed as ghosts during Halloween, and the sensation was the same.

"Hey Giles, I think we have a ghost in the school. You know how to get rid of one?" Buffy asked.

"Well, we could try to exorcise it from the building. That will force it to pass on." Gilles replied after a few moments.

"Alright. Get it done before it manages to kill someone." Buffy said. "I'm going to see Willow. I wanted to speak with her about upgrading some of my equipment."

Gilles quickly summoned the magic branch of their little organization, consisting of himself, Jenny Calendar, the computer teacher and Amy Madison, a student that the group had encountered before. While Willow was also capable of magic, as a Tech priest, she told them she would only use the rites of the Mechanicus from now on.

* * *

As their group expanded, Willow suggested they setup some organization merely to be clear on what everyone's purpose was.

Buffy and Xander were the military arm of the group, with Buffy doubling as their Inquisitor, and Xander doubled as the group's Chaplain. Despite the fact that only Buffy had any faith in the Imperial Cult, he performed his duty with the same fervor as if he was serving a full chapter of marines.

Willow and Oz, as Tech priests provided all supplies, weapons and equipment Buffy and Xander requested, and were constantly working on improving their resources.

Giles, miss Calendar and Amy served as their research branch, and when necessary, and also took on the job of casting spells that did not use the Warp. Amy was a new and somewhat reluctant recruit.

Buffy and Willow caught Amy practicing magic and Buffy told her directly that she could either use her powers at their direction, or figure out how to breathe through a slit throat.

Despite her best efforts, she had minimal tolerance for what she considered heretical witchcraft, seeing the practitioners as a potential threat that needed to be kept under constant watch.

With Giles closely monitoring what Amy was practicing, Buffy cut the girl some slack, but every time the two met, Buffy's warning echoed in Amy's mind.

At first, they couldn't find anything that Cordelia could do to aid the group, when Xander jokingly said "The only people more bossy than her are Commissars."

The joke seemed to stick, though, and Cordelia decided to take on this role. At the moment, she was busy studying about the role and how to implement it in their current condition.

The exorcism went well, despite the ghost's attempts to stop them, and life went on as usual in Sunnydale.

* * *

Again, things veered away from the usual vampire slaying when the skin of one of the High School's swim team members was found, without its contents.

The team had recently achieved a great victory, and suddenly, everyone was busy catering to their every whim. The Scoobies found the whole athletes worship disgusting, but there was not much they could do.

"A pity we couldn't examine the remains in more detail. We might have discovered more information on what did this." Willow grumbled. She didn't like leaving her factory unless absolutely necessary, and as her parents were frequently absent, she spent most of her time there.

Oz had also moved in full time, telling his family that he got himself a live-in job, and Willow also arranged for him to get pay from their treasury.

"It is a possibility that whatever killed Dodd will go after the others as well." Buffy pointed out, and the group agreed to follow some of the team members when they could.

Despite their best efforts, the group failed to notice anything suspicious, even when a few more swimmers went missing.

* * *

The answer came to them when Buffy was busy fending off the approaches of one of swimmers, when he collapsed, screamed and tore off his skin, revealing that he had turned into some sort of gill monster.

"Mutation." Buffy spat and drew one of her daggers.

"Die mutant scum." The creature tried to maul her, but found its life fading away as the dagger pierced his heart.

A little interrogation of the few remaining swimmers gave them the person responsible, namely the swim coach, and Buffy and Xander went to confront him.

They found the man standing above a grate, and from below, they could hear loud ripping and tearing sounds that were all too familiar to the pair.

"This has gone on far enough. Your little experiment is over, coach." Buffy glared at the man that saw fit to mutate his students just to win something as trivial as a swimming competition.

The man glared angrily at them, but he wasn't about to piss them off with Xander standing next to Buffy, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

"What do we do about our scaly friends below?" Xander pointed at the grate, and Buffy leaned over, seeing the whole bunch snarling hungrily at her.

"I picked up a little present on the way here. A frag grenade." Buffy pulled out the large grenade from her purse, pulled the pin and tossed it into the hole.

A few seconds later, a loud rumble and a puff of smoke erupted from the grate.

When the smoke cleared, Xander noticed the dozen flechettes that were deeply embedded into the ceiling.

"Sushi anyone?" Buffy smirked as Xander led the coach outside. The man had a meeting with an unmarked grave, and Xander would make sure the man made it.

* * *

As the summer began to approach, the Scooby Gang was surprised when Kendra arrived one day.

"What brings you here?" Buffy was quite pleased to see her fellow Slayer, and even offered her to stay in her house.

"My Watcher said that a great evil had been uncovered here, and sent me to ensure it did not become a threat. Also, I was asked to train with you. The reports on your accomplishments here are an inspiration to us all." Kendra replied.

"We are only doing our duty. Nothing more. Still, I'd be more than happy to train with you. I daresay we can both learn new tricks." Buffy grinned.

The evil that Kendra warned them about was revealed to be the recently excavated tomb of the demon Acathla in which the creature was locked after being turned to stone.

"Well, we don't have any krak grenades, but we do have two crates of C4." Buffy gave them a devilish grin as they managed to liberate the statue from the slab from the museum. Of course, they had to get several servitors in the place just to lift the thing, but now it rested safely in the factory's loading dock, which was the only place that looked like a normal Earth factory.

"Will that even work?" Cordelia asked.

"Well, first we'll blow it up, grind up the chunks and then scatter the dust. I'd say if that doesn't do it, I don't know what will." Buffy shrugged.

The plan went on without a hitch and the gang all welcomed the summer with relief.

* * *

Willow decided that with the extra time, it was a good idea to expand the factory, and to keep everything a secret, as they still worked on a need-to-know basis, she decided to expand her factory downwards. The plan was to dig a hole the size of a large cargo lift about fifty feet down, then excavate a large chamber that was about as big as the factory. Once that was done, they'd be able to expand even further as need arose.

The first problem arose when forty feet down; they emerged into an uncharted cave.

Now, this wasn't much of a problem, as the cave ceiling was almost twenty feet high and nearly twice as big as the factory. The problem was that they also discovered strange machines inside it.

* * *

"Incredible. These devices are thousands of years old." Willow was like a kid in a candy store as she basically flew around the chamber.

"Willow, focus. Find out what this stuff is. It might be dangerous." Buffy stood there as the voice or reason. The Mechanicus were not known for their common sense when archeotech was concerned.

"Alright. I'll run some cables down from the reactor and figure out a way to get some power to the machines. If I can commune with the machine spirits of this place, I may be able to figure out what is its purpose." Willow replied absently.

"Alright, but be careful. If it proves dangerous, I will have all this destroyed." Buffy warned her. Willow actually stopped mid step and gave Buffy a glare from beneath her white robe, but the next moment, she turned and began working on opening a panel on one of the machines.

* * *

"Any luck?" Buffy had requested a meeting of the whole group, and everyone could see that Willow was completely exhausted.

"The past week has been very difficult. The machines below are incredibly advanced, and we have only begun to understand their function. Fortunately, we managed to figure out how to power them safely, but I greatly underestimated the amount of power these devices demand. The factory's fusion reactor cannot provide enough power to operate them. I may need to construct a new, bigger reactor dedicated to the underground level." Willow sighed.

"Do you know what it is?" Buffy knew that Willow had a propensity to ramble when she was excited or tired, so tried to bring the girl back on track.

"The machine spirits were difficult to placate, they had been idle for millennia, so it took us a while before we could communicate. From what we've managed to determine, the machines in the cave are a factory that was once used to produce a variety of items for the use on the planet." Willow replied.

"You mean like an STC?" Xander asked. The Standard Template Constructor was the ultimate creation from the Dark Age of Technology, capable of producing almost everything a person could ask for. A working one did not exist in the Imperium, and finding one was the Holy Grail Quest of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

"It is similar, but not as sophisticated. Also, parts of it have been damaged beyond repair. Oz is still down there, trying to figure out how to operate it, and how much the damage has limited its usefulness." Willow sighed.

"Do you know who built it?" Buffy asked the critical question.

"Yes, actually. I downloaded some records from the control device." Willow opened a file on the laptop before her.

"This is the person that designed the machine. I can't read the text, but you can see how he looks." Willow turned the computer around so her friends could get a look.

Everyone stared in shock at the image. Next to several columns of blocky text was a picture of a man in a simple gray uniform. The shock was that he looked completely human. In fact, if he dressed in modern clothes, he wouldn't get a second look if they ran into him in the street.

"You're telling me humans built all that?" Cordelia exclaimed.

"I was as shocked as you all were. But the fact remains, this is not xeno tech. This is something built by our ancestors, and something that can be sanctified by the Omnissiah to serve us." Willow grinned.

* * *

"This is all far too convenient. All this smells like one big conspiracy and I don't like it one bit." Buffy's words shook the group.

"What do you mean?" Xander asked.

"Things haven't been adding up since Halloween. Why are we the only ones that retained all the memories? Why did Xander and I retain our psyker abilities and Xander his implants?" Buffy began.

"There's also the matter of Willow. How come a rookie Enginseer in the Imperial Guard know how to construct technology used by the Space Marines, the Navy, or practically every branch of the Imperium? I bet she even has designs for Titans in her head." Buffy continued, and everyone could see that she made valid arguments.

"And now, we find some sort of ancient factory, conveniently placed right underneath the place where we located our base of operations. It's simple, someone is using as pawns for something." Buffy concluded.

"It makes sense, but what can we do about it?" Giles didn't like anyone using them, but he could see little to do to stop it.

"I don't see anything we can do, but to remain alert and cautious. Whoever is doing this will reveal themselves to us eventually, and when they do, we'll get some answers." Buffy replied.

In the end, the group decided to use the machines in addition to whatever expansions Willow had in mind for the cave, and see what they could gain from it, and at the same time, learn as much as they could about the people that had built the machines.


	6. Chapter 6

This chapter marks the start of Season 3, and a whole mass of changes to the cannon. Now, some of you have commented on the fact how I've paid little attention to some episodes or even completely skipped some. I do not do so lightly, in fact, I review every episode carefully and try to determine how my own version of the chars will handle the situation. Now, this will lead to sometimes much shorter time spent on some events in the series, but there will be a lot of difficult times even with the advantages my chars have. For example, the Mayor will still succeed with his Ascension, although he'll have to work a lot harder in my fic. I also introduce Faith in this chapter, and I hope I managed to explain how and why she's different from the cannon version. With that done, all I have left to say is read and enjoy :)

**Chapter 6**

The summer went by in a flurry of activity for the entire group. Willow and Oz were busy in the factory, trying to determine the usefulness of the ancient factory they had discovered.

The machine, after weeks of experimentation was discovered to be controlled by will alone. Willow, already having experience interfacing with machines thanks to her memories, had no trouble operating it even for hours on end.

Unfortunately, the machine had two very restricting limitations. Their power production was insufficient to produce anything that had a greater mass of five pounds, and the damage to the machine led to the fact that it could only produce objects that were a molecular whole.

This would greatly slow their production, but that still meant that they would be able to produce even the advanced technology of the 41st Millennium.

One of the first things that Willow produced were a number of chemicals that could be used to produce various medicines. Xander for one was very happy that he now had full access to the drugs that were used to regulate his body.

Next, the metal foundries were upgraded, one small part at a time, and now they had access to materials as good as on any Forge-World in the Imperium.

As the new school year approached, Xander found himself once again in a functional Terminator armor, but unfortunately, the machine could not produce the unique material used in force weapons, so Willow instead built a Crozius Arcanum for his use instead. From his memories, he knew how to use that particular weapon with great skill.

Also, for ranged support, Xander also gained a scaled down Incinerator that he could use one handed. Only his armor and experience had allowed him to wield both his spear and the Incinerator during Halloween.

The rest of the group gained a lot of upgrades as well.

* * *

Buffy was provided with carapace armor, along with a small bolter and a power sword, which she put to good use on her patrols.

As for the rest of the group, all were given a laspistol, merely as something to have in emergencies.

Also, Willow arranged for a small annex building to be constructed next to the factory, which would provide the group with living quarters, meeting rooms, armories and even a ritual chamber for the use of their magic branch. Xander also insisted that a chapel was added to the annex as well, which he consecrated to the best of his ability.

Kendra, who had stayed for well over a month to train and learn from Buffy, departed from Sunnydale with a brand new chainsword that Willow constructed just for her.

Cordelia, after seeing the weapon, requested one as well, and began taking fencing lessons from Buffy. It was not an easy task for the girl, but after witnessing the dedication and sacrifices her friends had made so far, Cordelia was determined to provide more aid to the group.

Slowly, the summer came to an end, and soon enough, the group was back to school, with the exception of Xander. The school was informed that due to his injuries during Halloween, he would be home schooled from now on.

* * *

"Hey mom, what's for dinner?" Buffy grinned as she walked in her home. Just being able to say something so normal greatly improved her mood.

"Pasta. It will be ready soon." Her mother replied.

"So, are you going on patrol tonight?" Joyce asked between bites. She wasn't pleased to learn about everything her daughter had been through over the years, but she had seen first hand how capable they were, and she felt her worry subside a little bit.

"Nah, it is Xander's turn to patrol. Nowadays, vampires run away at first sight from us. I kinda miss the old days, since it just feels wrong to shoot them in the back while they're running away." Buffy shrugged.

"Well, I for one think its better that they do run away. I can't stop you from going out and fighting evil, but I still worry that you might get hurt." Joyce frowned.

"Mom, it would take something much worse than a vampire to hurt me and things like that don't come around overnight. Besides, if anything like that do shows up, I always have Xander to back me up." Buffy grinned.

"As long as you're careful. I'm just glad you stopped having those awful nightmares." Joyce shook her head.

"I guess we've come to accept who we've become. The memories aren't so scary anymore." Buffy replied. The truth was, the nightmares were still a nightly occurrence, but the mind-numbing terror that had accompanied them had faded away.

"Alright. Now, if you're done, help me hang this mask up." Joyce pulled a rather scary mask from a box.

Buffy only touched it once before flinching away.

"Where did you get that, mom?" Buffy asked.

"A friend of mine gave it to me, why?" Joyce noticed the concern in Buffy's voice and eyed the mask warily.

"I get a bad vibe from it. I'll call Giles and have him take a look at it." Buffy replied.

Sure enough, Giles managed to identify that particular mask, and told them that it was possessed by a demon and had the power to bring the dead back to life.

That was all Buffy needed to hear before she broke it to bits.

* * *

"So, you're sure about this place?" A black haired girl turned to her escort as they walked towards a large factory on the city's outskirts. Large plumes of smoke could be seen wafting out from the large chimneys.

"Don't worry. You'll be safe with my friends, Faith." Angel assured his nervous companion.

"So, you're back in town, Angel?" The pair jumped to the side in shock as a deep, mechanical voice boomed just next to them.

"Holy burning shit on a stick." Faith exclaimed as she saw Xander, and wondered how the hell had he managed to sneak up to them. Meanwhile, Angel was doing his best not to look at him as his body began emitting wisps of smoke.

The reason for this were the large amount of holy icons adorning Xander's armor, all proclaiming his devotion to the God-Emperor and his hatred towards the enemies of humanity. The most striking piece was the large parchment hanging from his belt, inscribed with various Litanies.

"Oh, right. Follow me, then." Xander noticed that their vampire ally was getting it full blast from his armor, and turned around to lead them. Since all he had on his back was his power pack, Angel had no trouble with following him.

* * *

"I see you've made some changes, not to mention improvements." Angel commented on the annex and Xander's armor.

"It's been a busy summer. So, who's your friend?" Xander had taken his helmet off and had wrapped a curtain around himself in order not to aggravate Angel.

"She's a Potential Slayer I met in Boston. A vampire called Kakistos had learned she's a Potential and had captured her for some entertainment. I sprung her out and brought her here." Angel replied.

"She's welcome to stay here; we have a few spare rooms. You'll be sticking around?" Xander shrugged.

"At least for a while. Is Buffy around?" Angel asked.

"She's out on patrol. Want me to call her? I'm sure she won't mind the distraction, things have been pretty dull around here." Xander shrugged.

"I wouldn't mind catching up." Angel admitted. He may have given up on any chance of romance with Buffy, but he still cared for her a great deal.

"Do you have anything to eat around here?" Faith finally overcame her shock and surprise and managed to speak.

"The kitchen is to the left, second door to the right. Help yourself to anything in the fridge. Just clean up when you're done." Xander gave her a warm smile before he put his helmet back on to use the vox unit to contact Buffy.

A working vox network was probably the first thing Willow had constructed once she managed to create the necessary components. A breakthrough in their trouble with electronic circuitry was discovered when they analyzed the ancient constructor in the cave. The crystals it used were superior to even the technology of the Imperium, so Willow was quick to employ them in their equipment, especially since the constructor could manufacture entire circuit boards on a single crystal.

Fifteen minutes later, Buffy arrived in the meeting room. Angel and Xander were busy exchanging stories, while Faith was sitting quietly to the side.

* * *

Normally, she was a lot more forward and aggressive, but her experience with Kakistos had all but destroyed every shred of confidence she had in herself.

Oh, she fought at first, quite bravely in fact, and even managed to take down two of the elder's goons, which was quite impressive for a young girl without any mystical enhancements, but against Kakistos, her best efforts never even scratched him. The vampire had been greatly amused by her resistance, and on several occasions, let her escape, having first branded her with his mark, always snatching her back just as she thought she was safe.

When Angel finally managed to get her away from the beast, she was a broken wreck, ready to die only to have the torment end. The first days with Angel were difficult, especially when she learned that he was a vampire as well, but now, she felt that she was finally somewhere safe.

"So, I see you've been busy. It's good to see you back, though." Buffy gave Angel a hug, then turned to introduce herself to Faith as well.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, Kakistos and his minions had also arrived in town and were busy setting up a base in an old warehouse.

"What have you learned?" Kakistos turned to his second, Mr. Trick.

"From what I've learned, the Slayer has this place pretty much cleaned of vampires. The few vampires that are still around survive on blood of animals and what they can get from slaughterhouses. Going after humans is considered a death sentence around here." Mr. Trick replied.

"I don't know what sort of weaklings this Slayer has been fighting so far, but now that I'm here, we shall see how strong the little girl is." Kakistos grinned evilly.

* * *

The next day, Buffy took Faith to the high school to get her enrolled. Oz quickly took care of the entire necessary paperwork trail, and Faith was able to get started with classes that very day.

"You alright?" Faith turned around to see Xander's massive frame filling her door. Feeling a bit self-conscious about the way her shirt stuck to her sweat-soaked body, she pulled her cover over herself.

"Just a bad dream." Faith tried to shrug it off, but her experience in Boston was still too fresh in her mind.

"Want to talk about it?" Xander asked.

"Well, I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep again, so why not?" Faith nodded.

"Great. Why don't we talk in the kitchen?" Xander grinned.

"Here. I daresay you could use a hot drink." Faith took the offered cup and took a quick sip of the hot chocolate.

"What are you drinking?" The drink in Xander's much larger cup didn't look like chocolate.

"Just some herbal tea. So, what exactly was your dream about, Faith?" Xander asked.

"It's always the same, actually. I'm just going about my day, and when I turn around, he's there ready to take me back, to torture me again…

I see him everywhere, even during the day; I feel his eyes on me constantly. I just can't free myself from that bastard." Faith replied nervously and with the occasional long pause.

"I know it's a bit of cliché, but time does heal all wounds, and I speak from experience." Xander said comfortingly.

"Yes, Angel told me what happened to you. How do you handle it?" Faith asked.

"It's hard. Even now, almost a year later, the memories still bother me sometimes. Willow was the lucky one, her memories contained only two battles, and in both, she acted as a Tech priest attached to a mechanized Guard company fighting against Orks. Buffy and I weren't so lucky." Xander sighed.

"But you didn't break." Faith said bitterly.

"Neither did you. You fought until the end, even though you had no hope of survival." Xander reminded her.

"Didn't help me much. If Angel hadn't been there, it would have been for nothing." Faith shook her head.

"But he was there, and now, here you are. One day, you'll be ready to fight again, I am certain of that." Xander gave her a grin as he finished his tea.

"It is almost time for the morning prayer. Would you like to join us?" Xander asked.

"Religion's not really my thing. I'm not really too big on the whole 'turn the other cheek' thing." Faith shook her head.

"We're not practice Christianity here. We offer our homage to the God-Emperor of Mankind, and we have different tenets." Xander grinned.

"What are they?" Faith asked curiously.

"Kill the alien, burn the heretic, purge the unclean." Xander's voice seemed to fill the room with power, and Faith couldn't help but shiver.

"Maybe I'll check out what you guys are doing." Faith whispered.

* * *

The chapel already had several occupants as they walked in. Willow and Oz were there, covered with their dirty white robes, discussing something in hushed tones, and across the room, Buffy and Cordelia were also talking. A few steps away, Amy was standing by herself, eyeing Buffy a bit nervously.

Things between them had warmed up considerably since Amy began attending the prayers and accepted the Imperial Cult, but a certain amount of distance still existed.

As Xander walked in, everyone took a spot before the central area, where a large Aquila and the symbol of the Omnissiah stood side by side, signifying that the chapel was sacred to both aspects of the Emperor.

Once Xander began the ceremony, everyone knelt down, heads bowed low and followed Xander as he recited the daily prayer and gave everyone the Emperor's benediction.

"What do you think?" Xander asked Faith once everyone had left.

"It was a bit different than what I'm used to, but I liked it. I might even give it a try." Faith replied.

"As long as it is truly what you want. Not everyone in our group follows the Emperor, and I have come to accept that, but I expect complete devotion from those that do." Xander warned her.

"I figured as much. Well, I appreciate our conversation. We should do it again sometime." Faith gave him a smile and walked out of the chapel.

* * *

"Oh no." Willy sighed as he saw his least favorite customer walk in his bar.

"Good evening, Miss Summers. The usual?" Willy greeted the Slayer with almost no tremble in his voice.

"Nothing tonight, Willy. I just want to talk tonight. Word on the street is that we have some newcomers in town. You know anything?" Buffy asked the barkeep as she leaned on the bar casually, observing the few customers the bar had, mostly various demons.

As much as she hated the fact that she wasn't killing all this demonic filth, the fact remained that for the most part, they weren't actually doing any harm, and until they did so, she would let them live, as distasteful the idea was to her.

"I heard that some vampires came in from out of town. Real nasty bunch too." Willy began.

"Let me guess. Kakistos?" Buffy asked.

"That's right. Anything else, Miss Summers?" Willy stammered as she turned to look at him.

"Nothing for tonight. Keep up the good work, Willy." Buffy grinned at him and walked away.

* * *

"So, he followed her all the way here. He is certainly persistent." Angel sighed when Buffy told him about what she learned.

"Coming here was a mistake on his part. I'll take Xander with me tonight and give the bunch a really warm Sunnydale welcome." Buffy grinned.

"I agree with the plan, with one change. We take Kakistos alive." Xander added his own idea to the plan.

"Any particular reason for this suggestion?" Buffy frowned.

"He put Faith through hell. If anyone deserves to end him, it should be her." Xander replied.

"I have no problem with it. After all, I won't be the one that is going to be doing the capturing." Buffy shrugged.

* * *

That night, Kakistos was busy planning his next move, when with a loud crash, one of the walls of the warehouse they were occupying burst apart, leaving a gaping hole.

"Knock, knock." Xander walked in, his armored feet echoing deeply in the warehouse with each step as his helmet's burning red eyes stared at the group of vampires gathered before him.

"We heard you were in town, and came to offer you a house warming present." Buffy gave them a grin as Xander leveled the Incinerator at the largest group of Kakistos's followers and engulfed them in holy white flame.

Once the flames died out, Kakistos was left with only two servants, as Mr. Trick used the surprise to sneak out with two others.

"I'll take care of the goons. You take the pretty one." Buffy grinned as she drew her sword.

"I will enjoy killing you two." Kakistos sneered as he stood against Xander, but even he couldn't keep looking at Xander's armor for long.

"You shall kill no more, fiend." Xander growled and rushed the vampire. Despite his great power, against Xander's Terminator armor, the vampire was terribly outmatched, and Xander had him subdued quickly.

"You done?" Buffy had also dispatched her foes easily and watched as Xander wrapped Kakistos in several chains and a large dusty curtain before he threw him over his shoulder.

* * *

"I don't know if I can do this." Faith was protesting as Xander led her to the room where they had locked away the vampire.

"If you don't face him and defeat him, you will never be able to move on." Xander gave her a hard stare. Faith gave him a nervous nod, but didn't speak.

"What's this? My toy has come back to me? Are you going to kill me now, little girl?" Kakistos laughed as he noticed the sword in Faith's hands.

"I'm not afraid of you." Faith stammered, feeling her resolve fading as she saw her tormentor before her.

"You are stronger than him Faith. I believe in you." Xander's hand on her shoulder stopped her shivers, and her loose grip on the sword tightened.

"Die." Faith screamed and swung the sword, the blessed blade cutting quickly through the vampire's neck. Moments after his head separated from his body, it all turned to dust.

"Thank you." Faith whispered weakly and walked away after dropping the sword.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Ever since she executed Kakistos, Faith had begun to improve, and slowly, her personality began to revert to her old self.

This was mostly thanks to Xander, who was always there offering her support and advice. Also, Faith had begun taking fencing lessons from the group, and Cordelia and she became regular sparring partners.

"Lean a bit more to the right with that swing. That's right." Xander watched carefully as the two girls sparred with blunted blades.

"Cordelia, you're overextending again. Faith, keep your swings narrower, you're telegraphing your moves."

The girls took his advice silently, and other than his words, all the sounds that could be heard from the training room were the clash of metal and their shouts every time they swung.

Cordelia managed to make an excellent parry, and used the opportunity to kick Faith in the chest, knocking her back, but despite the surprise strike, Faith managed to stay on her feet.

As she prepared to counterattack, she felt a strong shiver pass over her. She shook it off and charged Cordelia, who was surprised when Faith attacked with much greater skill, strength and speed.

"Wow, how did you get so good?" Cordelia winced as Faith sent her sword sailing out of her hands.

"I have no idea." Faith was just as confused as she was, but Xander frowned deeply as he picked up his helmet.

"Buffy, are you alright?" Xander contacted Buffy.

"I'm fine, Xander. What happened?" Buffy replied quickly.

"Faith was Called just now. If you're all right, then that means that Kendra has fallen." Xander sighed.

"I'll go and see Giles. Hopefully he'll be able to find out what happened to her." Buffy replied and closed the vox link.

* * *

"I have some bad news, Buffy." Giles turned towards his charge as soon as she walked in his house.

"It's about Kendra?" Buffy surprised him.

"How did you know?" Giles frowned.

"Faith is her successor. Xander called me a few minutes ago."

"I see. Well, I just got a call from Sam Zabuto. Kendra was fighting a nest of demons when the building she was in collapsed on top of her. The local paramedics managed to pull her out before anyone else could reach her. I am told that she died on the way to the hospital, but the medics managed to revive her." Giles began.

"So she's alive?" Buffy smiled lightly at the thought that her friend was not dead after all.

"She's very badly injured, and is currently in surgery. From what Sam told me, it is very likely she will lose an arm and a leg, and the doctors don't think she will walk again as her spine had suffered a lot of damage." Giles said sadly.

"Tell him to bring her here. I don't care what he and the other Watchers have to do, but get her to the factory." Buffy said in a firm tone.

"Buffy, I don't think…" Giles began, but one look from her had him quiet and reaching for the phone.

"Xander, turns out Kendra's still alive but she's badly banged up. I asked Giles to arrange for her to be brought here. Get Willow to prepare a medical area with as much equipment she can manage." Buffy told him and sat down and watched as Giles was busy talking with his colleague.

It took a lot of work on the Watcher's part to have Kendra brought to Sunnydale, and Buffy had to make a few rather threatening phone calls, but two days later, she was flown in and taken to the factory. At the same time, Buffy discovered a student in the school was using some sort of chemical cocktail to improve himself, but only ended up turning into a homicidal maniac. In a bad mood about Kendra's situation, Buffy spared him no mercy and killed him quickly.

* * *

"How is she?" Buffy turned to Willow as she examined the unconscious Kendra.

"If she wasn't a Slayer, she would have been dead already. Her right lung has been pierced by a pipe, and since it was so badly damaged, it has already been removed. Her right arm and leg have also been amputated. Her spine is in pieces, so she'll never move anything below her neck. Fortunately, other than a bad concussion, her brain is in good health. However, when you take into account the broken bones, injured organs and tissue, I don't see how we can help her. The best thing we can do is to grant her the Emperor's mercy." Willow concluded with a sigh.

"I will… fight. Help… me." They were surprised when they heard Kendra's weak voice. Before they could react, she passed out again.

"Surely there must be something you can do? Perhaps if you replaced the damaged organs…" Buffy was not a Tech priest, so her knowledge was limited.

"I need time to think. Give me a couple of yours." The redhead sighed and walked out of the medical area.

"Did you figure something out?" Buffy asked as soon as Willow returned.

"Yes. I debated many possibilities in my mind, but the fact remains that I am not an apothecary, and my knowledge of medicine is hardly the best, which greatly limited my options. So, after thinking things through, I see only one option open to us. To inter her into a Dreadnaught." Willow said with a heavy sigh, already feeling the amount of work that would take.

"You can construct a Dreadnaught?" Buffy was shocked. Sure, Willow managed to create Xander's armor, but a Dreadnaught was something more even more complex.

"It will take me about a week or so to create the core tomb that will hold her. Once she's inside, she'll be out of danger. The rest of the machine however will take many months to complete." Willow yawned.

"You seem troubled." Buffy frowned.

"It's the constructor. Using it is very mentally taxing. Also, as the full moon was recently, Oz was unable to help me as much as usual. Now, this project is going to add even more difficulties to us. I'll have to put a stop to all other projects until this is done." Willow replied.

While the group had plenty of equipment for the current situation, Willow had been busy increasing the security of the factory. Stationary heavy bolter turrets had been hidden in strategic points, while a few combat servitors, heavily armed and armored stood silently in hidden alcoves at strategic weak points of the factory, ready to unleash their full fury on any intruder foolish enough to trespass around the factory.

"Have you thought about adding more adepts?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, but so far, I haven't found anyone suitable. It's not just being smart, it takes other qualities as well to be able to handle the amount of work we're doing here." Willow replied.

* * *

True to her word, Willow managed to construct the core tomb in just a week, and Kendra was placed within after a lengthy surgery. The device looked like a metal box seven feet tall, five feet wide and three deep, with access ports in various parts. It had an internal power supply, but that was for emergencies, as it was currently linked with the factory's primary generator, and would later be connected to the Dreadnaught's reactor. Inside the tomb, Kendra was immobilized and attached to various devices that took over the function of her various organs, while a mind-impulse unit connected to her brain allowing her to use the auspex and vox unit attached to the tomb to speak and see what was around her.

"…and it will be a while before we can build the rest of the machine, so until then, you'll be immobile." Willow was explaining the situation to Kendra as Buffy and Faith walked in.

"It is good to see you, Buffy, even if it's a bit strange seeing you indirectly." Kendra's voice echoed from the vox unit.

"It is good to see you as well, Kendra. Don't worry, you'll be back out there kicking ass in no time." Buffy grinned, but inwardly, her heart was full of pain. She had damned her friend to centuries, if not millennia of combat. Locked within her metal tomb, Kendra would endure for generations unless she was destroyed.

"Who is your friend?" Kendra noticed Faith standing next to Buffy.

"This is Faith. She's your successor." Buffy replied.

"Nice to meet you. I'm sorry about what happened to you." Faith said nervously.

"I'll still be able to fight, and that's what's really important. Protecting humanity to our last breath is our foremost duty." Kendra replied. "Buffy, is my sword here as well?"

"Yes. It was a bit banged up, but Oz fixed it up quickly." Buffy replied.

"I want you to have it, Faith. Use it to cut down all who threaten mankind."

Faith examined the chainsword Oz handed to her, admiring the golden Aquila adorning the guard, as well as the inscriptions on the blade itself. On both sides of the blade, Xander had personally inscribed the Litany of Hate and had the blade blessed. She flicked the activator switch, and watched as the blade revved up and the row of jagged teeth began to whir.

"I would be honored to wield your weapon into battle." Faith turned the sword off and offered Kendra a salute with it.

* * *

Meanwhile in city hall, the former servant of Kakistos, Mr. Trick was meeting with the mayor.

"The Slayer has been causing me a lot of headaches lately, Mr. Trick. I want her handled, permanently." The mayor's tone was ice cold.

"I have seen her fight; vampires wouldn't stand a chance against her. She's very skilled and well armed. And that's just the slayer. What about her massive friend?" Mr. Trick remembered vividly the armored behemoth that incinerated dozens of vampires with a single attack. Flamethrowers were truly the worst weapon a vampire could face.

"I am certain that a man of your ability will find a way." The mayor ignored the man's concerns.

"A direct assault on the Slayer and her friends will never work. The best method would be to distract her from our activities with diversions." As much as he wanted to kill Buffy, Trick knew that such a task was much easier said than done. He had observed her fights, and he knew extremely well what a daunting task taking her down would be. Xander was another matter altogether. With his armor, immense size and strength, he was an opponent only the most foolish would assault. One also had to consider the simply insane amount of holy symbols Xander had adorning his armor, further increasing the difficulty evil beings would have in fighting him.

"Very well. For now, we will refrain from assaulting the Slayer and her group directly, but I will not allow anything to interfere with my plans. I have worked too long to let some little girl stop me when I am so close to my goal." The mayor said after a minute, concluding the meeting.

* * *

A few days later, the waning moon illuminated four people observing the factory from a nearby hill. A well built man with graying hair was watching the factory with a pair of night-vision binoculars, while a blond woman was sitting next to him, writing something in a notepad. Behind them, a man with messy hair and glasses was busy playing chess with a large man with dark skin and a ski hat on his head.

"Anything interesting, sir?" The woman asked the man with the binoculars.

"Nothing yet. All I've seen in the past couple of days are some teenagers coming and going, and those few trucks that have been bringing in raw materials." The man sighed.

"Well sir, perhaps we should take a closer look." The woman suggested.

"I wouldn't suggest that." Everyone jumped in shock as the mechanical voice that suddenly echoed in their little hideout. The quartet's surprise quickly turned to shock when they saw just what was the source of the voice.

Xander was standing calmly, Incinerator leveled at the group.

"How the hell does something like that sneak up on us?" The graying man turned to shout at his team.

"I can be very sneaky when I want to be. Now, why don't we take a little walk down to the factory?" He gestured with his gun, and the group reluctantly followed.

"So, who do you work for?" The graying man asked as they walked towards the annex.

"We'll be asking the questions for now. Now, get in before I decide to save myself the trouble and torch you all." Xander snapped.

"Hey Xander, that you? It's almost time for training." Faith walked out of a room, holding both her chainsword and a practice sword, but the grin on her face faded when she saw Xander's prisoners.

"Sorry, but I can't work with you tonight. Do me a favor and call Buffy, will you?" Xander told her and led the group to their meeting room. It was in the middle of the annex, and had no windows.

"Buffy's on her way. Who are they?" Faith joined them a few moments later.

"That's what we're going to find out. Now, I'm sure Cordelia is itching to get started, so why don't you go and join her?" Xander waited until she was out before he took off his helmet.

* * *

"Now, how about you introduce yourselves? I'm guessing you're most likely in the military." Xander sat on a special chair designed to endure his weight.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill, USAF. Captain Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson and Murray." The graying man introduced himself and his team.

"Alexander Harris, First Company Terminator-Chaplain, Grey Knights Chapter. A pleasure to meet you." Xander grinned.

"Warhammer 40K. I knew the armor looked familiar." Carter exclaimed.

"You played the game?" Xander asked.

"A bit in college. I never was a serious player though." She shrugged.

"So, what happens now?" O'Neill interrupted before his SIC could get going.

"We'll wait until Buffy arrives, then we'll talk." Xander shrugged.

"And who's Buffy?" O'Neill asked.

"Inquisitor Elizabeth Summers, Ordo Malleus." Buffy said as she walked in the room.

"You got here quickly." Xander turned to her.

"I was nearby when Faith called me. Now, would you mind telling me why the USAF is observing us?" Buffy's tone and posture was calm and pleasant, but the quartet still became nervous as she leveled her gaze at them. The title of Inquisitor was not known for it's pleasantness.

"I'm afraid I am not at liberty to discuss our assignment." O'Neill said firmly.

"Then I guess there's no point in letting you live, is there?" Buffy put her bolt pistol on the table. The unsubtle gesture couldn't be more clear to the quartet. O'Neill stared at the weapon for a few moments before he spoke.

* * *

"Alright. We believed that this factory was an operations site for hostile extraterrestrials."

"You expected to find xenos here? Why is that?" Buffy's eyes narrowed.

"That's classified." O'Neill said curtly.

"Colonel, you're in the same room with a Zeta and Epsilon class psykers. If you continue to be stubborn, we can always get the information we want in a more direct manner." Buffy grinned.

"Sir, perhaps we should give them some information." Carter turned to her superior.

"Alright, Carter. Go right ahead." O'Neill sighed. If they were facing telepaths, it was indeed pointless to attempt to hide anything. The best decision would be to give as little as possible and still appear cooperative.

"Well, it's like this. Back in the 1920's in Giza, an archeological expedition discovered a very unusual artifact. A few years ago, we discovered that it is an ancient device that allows interplanetary travel between any two such devices in the galaxy. We've been using ours ever since to explore the galaxy." Carter's words shocked the two teenagers.

"And I take it you encountered hostile xenos out there." Buffy concluded.

"They're called the Goa'uld, and they once ruled this world as gods. They are a parasitic species that uses humans as slaves as well as hosts." Daniel joined in.

"What?" Buffy's eyes burned as the air in the room grew cold for a second.

"You expected to find such creatures here?" Xander asked.

"Your factory's purchasing activities caught our attention. We've been trying to determine what a Goa'uld stranded on Earth would try and gather, and your factory raised enough red flags to warrant further investigation." Carter explained.

* * *

"This is most unwelcome news. This world is not capable of fighting such a threat." Buffy sighed. These news on top of the knowledge about the constant demonic threat was indeed most worrisome.

"We've been fighting them pretty successfully so far. We even took out two ships belonging to one of the bastards about a year ago." O'Neill said proudly.

"That is indeed a worthy accomplishment. Perhaps we can help each other. We need more staff for our factory. If you provide a few candidates that would be willing to be inducted into the Adeptus Mechanicus, we will provide you with better weapons and equipment. Kendra, what do you think?" Buffy turned to her vox unit. An Inquisitor always tried to turn even the worst situation to their advantage.

"I would be honored to join them as soon as Willow finishes her work on me." Kendra's voice echoed from the vox.

"Who's that?" O'Neill asked.

"Kendra is a comrade that was heavily injured recently. We managed to recover her and she's currently placed in a Dreadnaught core tomb waiting for the rest of the machine to be built." Buffy replied. As O'Neill opened his mouth to speak, Carter leaned in and told him what a Dreadnaught was. O'Neill released an impressed whistle when she finished and a grin spread on his face.

"You are all heavily armed. May I ask why do you need so much weaponry for?" Murray asked.

"This world is not as pleasant as most people think. There are things lurking in the shadows and praying on humanity. That is what we fight." Buffy replied.

"We are agents of the Ordo Malleus. That is our purpose and duty on this world." Xander added.

"Daemon hunters?" You're telling me you're fighting actual demons?" Carter exclaimed.

"Is Angel here?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. I'll go get him." Xander walked out of the room.

* * *

"Are you sure they're not just aliens?" Carter asked.

"You could look at them that way, and as much as I hate to admit it, not every type of demon is bent on destroying mankind, but most are." Buffy shrugged.

"You know I hate it when you send holy boy after me." Angel walked in the meeting room, still wincing from being near Xander's armor.

"It hasn't killed you yet. Now, would you be so kind to show your other face to my guests?" Buffy grinned as the group reflexively jumped back when Angel's face turned demonic.

"Is that all?" Angel asked. Once Buffy nodded, he turned and walked away.

"Was that a vampire?" Carter asked nervously.

"Yes. Angel is on our side, though. I take it you believe me now?" Buffy grinned as they nodded.

"That is why, as much as I'd like to help you, we are needed more here. This town is a hotspot for demonic activity, and we can't leave."

"Why do you need more people for?" Carter asked.

"We need more tech priests to work in the factory. There are tasks that the servitors simply cannot perform. We have only two at the moment, and they're badly overworked. If you agree, when you return to your base, I will also send one of them with you in order to screen potential candidates. As a sign of good faith, we will also give you some weapons you can test. Is that acceptable?" Buffy replied.

"I have to contact my superior about this." O'Neill said after a few moments.

"Follow me. And yes, the line is very secure." Buffy led him out of the room.

AN/ Alright, I guess this is where I explain a few things. The most obvious issue is Kendra. She will be transfered to the SGC by the end of the season, and WILL NOT take part in the action. I'm sure all Stargate fans who are reading this can imagine what a Dreadnaught can achieve there, and yes, she can pass through the Stargate. I will be bringing in several scientists and/or technicians from the Stargate show into Sunnydale, but again, they will not play a major role. Second, yes I did cancel Slayerfest 98. The Mayor will work mostly below the radar, using less direct methods to achieve his goals. Like I said in the last chapter, he will Ascend, but it will be a lot more difficult to do so for him.


	8. Chapter 8

Another chapter done, this once focuses solely on events in the SGC, and offers a lot of hints on future events in the Stargate universe. The inevitable impact of Imperial technology will soon be felt, and I expect a lot of things to greatly deviate from cannon. This will be greatly felt it later seasons, and I expect the 5, 6 and 7th seasons of Buffy to be very different from cannon. As for the changes to the Stargate story, I am still developing the long-term effects, but I have a plan for the rest of the season for the moment. There was also a mistake in the last chapter, in which I kept Carter at the rank of Captain, while the chapter was meant to take place after she was promoted. Anyway, read and enjoy.

**Chapter 8**

It took two days before Willow had managed to gather and produce enough equipment to make a suitable presentation of Imperial technology, as well as provide enough supplies for at least some of the SGC soldiers. Fortunately, she had a certain amount of equipment already produced, just in case an emergency situation sprung up suddenly.

"Watch yourself. I don't want you getting hurt, alright?" Buffy stood by the truck that Willow had rented to transport herself and the cargo to the SGC in Colorado.

Since Ted had a driver's license, Willow had several human-like versions that were used to drive cargo from the train station to the factory. This time, one of them would be used to drive her. SG-1 were already in their vehicle, and would guide her.

"The Emperor protects." Willow grinned and hopped in the truck. A minute later, they were already on their way to the city.

* * *

The trip from Sunnydale to Cheyenne Mountains was long and rather boring, and Willow was rather relieved when they pulled in the base's parking lot.

A group of workers was already waiting to unload the truck, although they paused when they saw Willow emerge from the truck.

She wore black pants with heavy combat boots along with carapace armor protecting most of her body. The armor bore the mark of the Omnissiah on the chest, and on top of that, a white hooded robe. Two mechadendrites, which were integrated into the armor, hung over her shoulder, one sporting a large claw, the other a welding torch along with various other attachments. They were controlled by a metal headband placed on her head, a device that was a blend between a mind-impulse unit and elements of the constructor device. Completing the ensemble was a las pistol hanging from a holster on her belt.

"This way." O'Neill led her deep into the base. She drew a lot of strange looks, but no one commented.

The SGC was just as she expected it to be. A maze of concrete and steel, filled with people rushing all over the base, all united in a single purpose. The protection of humanity. A small smile graced her lips as she walked. Regardless of the age, the strength of humanity remained unmatched.

* * *

"Willow, this is General George Hammond. George, Senior Techpriest Willow Rosenberg of the Adeptus Mechanicus." O'Neill introduced her to his superior.

"A pleasure to meet you. I have to say, when Jack told me what they found, I was a bit skeptical to believe it." Hammond began.

"May I introduce the representatives from the Pentagon, Major Davis and Colonel Maybourne?" Willow gave a nod to the other officers, although she noticed that Jack gave Maybourne a rather nasty look.

"Perfectly understandable. Now, shall we begin with the demonstration?" Willow grinned. She had pulled her hood back, revealing that her formerly long hair was now cut rather short.

"Right this way." Hammond led her to the storage room where they had secured the items she had brought, and Willow spent a few minutes either pointing out boxes to be brought out, or opening some and pulling out various items. Once she had gathered everything, the whole group went to one of the firing ranges, where several targets were already placed, all of them wearing Jaffa armor, with the exception of two, who were wearing the two sets of Imperial armor Willow had brought.

* * *

"This is the cornerstone of the Imperial Guard. The lasgun is simple, robust and effective." Willow raised the rifle so that the gathered observers could take a good look.

"Depending on the power settings, it can fire anywhere from a 120 to 180 shots per magazine. It also features a bayonet mount, which can come in handy in close combat. There is also a modified version called the long las used for sniping. Now, as I understand, the targets are wearing the same armor your most encountered foes wear, so let's see how effective the weapons will be." Willow turned towards the row of dummies wearing Jaffa armor.

With a crack of ionized air, a red bolt of light impacted the chest plate and burned a hole right through the armor.

"Impressive. But, how reliable is the device?" Davis asked.

"You can drag it over rocks and through a swamp, and it will still be able to fire afterwards. Not that I recommend this, of course. The power packs are also very adaptable, and can be recharged with almost any power source. These power packs have integrated solar converters, so if necessary, you can recharge the packs just by leaving them out in the sun for a few hours." Willow replied.

"Next, we have the flamer. It is simply a flamethrower. It has a maximal range of ten meters. Not very elegant, but it gets the job done." The stream of flames that impacted the target left only burning plastic and heavily warped metal.

"Next we have the bolter. It is a large caliber projectile weapon. It is a bit different from what you are currently using. Firstly, this is a smoothbore weapon firing a two-stage projectile. Due to this, it has a lot less recoil than what you'd expect from such a large caliber. There are also different types of ammo used, but at the moment, we're only producing the standard type." Willow picked up the bolt gun and fired a shot at a third target. A second later, a massive hole appeared on the target.

"It uses explosive rounds?" Hammond frowned a bit.

"Yes. Bolters were designed to cause heavy damage, since they're primarily used by the Space Marines against stronger opponents than normal humans. Due to the nature of the projectile, it is not as effective at very close range, and since it fires solid rounds, it is not as efficient as the lasgun, but its power certainly compensates for that." Willow grinned.

"I also have with me a heavy bolter that was designed for a heavy weapons team. It takes at least two men to carry the weapon and the ammo, but its effectiveness against infantry is not to be underestimated. Since it's difficult to move quickly, it is mostly used to guard critical areas or ambush approaching infantry." Willow opened the large crate near her, demonstrating the large gun and the four crates of ammo chains with it.

"Next we have the grenades. We have managed to produce three types. Frag grenades are anti-personal grenades that unleash a hail of metal shards when they explode. They can also be set on a timer or with tripwires to set traps or cover escapes.

The krak grenade and the melta bomb are anti-armor grenades. When they impact an armored target, they can easily destroy it. The melta bomb is more effective, due to the higher termal energy it generates." Willow had pointed out the three different grenade types.

* * *

"Your weapons are indeed quite impressive. I was told that a member of your group requested to join this facility?" Hammond asked. While Jack had filled him in on the situation a few more details never hurt.

"Kendra has indeed asked to aid you in your struggle. She had recently suffered heavy injuries, and at her request, we have placed her into a Dreadnought. A Dreadnought is basically a large walking robot operated by a human pilot. The pilot is tied to the machine for life support. Outside of it, they will die. Kendra will have plenty of weaponry for any situation that might arise during her tenure here." Willow replied.

"You will provide us with more weapons in the future?" Maybourne stepped forward.

"At the moment, our production facilities are tied up working on Kendra. With the aid of the men that you will provide, we should be able to increase our quotas and produce more equipment for your use. Now, shall we move on to the last part of the demonstration?" Willow turned to the two dummies wearing Imperial armor. One was wearing the standard flak armor of the Imperial Guard, while the other was clad in carapace armor.

Teal'c, who was revealed to the Scoobies to be the real name of the large black man that was a part of SG-1, stepped forward to test the effectiveness of the Jaffa staff weapon on the armors.

After several shots, Willow stepped forward after attaching a complex eyepiece on her headband and began to examine the areas where the staff blasts had hit.

"Well, the carapace armor can easily take a shot from this weapon, but this armor takes a lot more time and resources to produce, and it is also much heavier. The flak armor is not as effective, but the chest plate is strong enough to endure a shot, although the wearer might experience some minor burns in the impacted area." Willow reported.

"That is good to know. Our current armor has proven woefully ineffective against Goa'uld weaponry." Hammond asked.

* * *

"Let me ask you something. What would you do if your group was ordered to surrender your facilities to the US Government?" Maybourne asked her.

"Colonel." Hammond did not like the greasy NID member any more than his 2IC, but he was more diplomatic than Jack was. Still, his tone carried a clear warning.

"It is a question I expected, general, so I am willing to answer it. Outside the fact that we're talking about technology that is about forty thousand years more advanced than the one you have?" Willow grinned as the man's face got a slightly annoyed look.

"Yes, in an emergency situation, a local government would be able to take command of the Mechanicus installations on their world, but this is not applicable in this situation." Willow's tone remained perfectly even as she spoke.

"And why's that?" Maybourne almost snapped.

"Our installation is under control of the Ordo Malleus, and the authority of the Inquisition is second only to the God-Emperor himself." Willow replied.

* * *

"That was an excellent presentation, Miss Rosenberg, and I for one am very grateful that you have agreed to provide us with your technology." Hammond jumped in before Maybourne could say something that could cause trouble.

"We are always willing to aid those who seek to protect humanity. There are a few conditions to this deal, though. The most important is that all Imperial technology is given to the SGC, and as such, only this facility has the right to use it. If any other branch of the military is seen using our technology, we will retrieve all our technology, by any means necessary." Willow's tone had taken a steely edge, and the threat was clear as air.

"That is perfectly acceptable." Hammond shot a warning look to the two Pentagon officers.

"The other condition is that your men must be taught the proper rituals to use and service this equipment. As a Techpriest, I cannot allow Imperial technology to be used unless I know its machine spirits will be properly appeased." This surprised the officers a bit.

"You want us to pray to the rifles?" O'Neill was skeptical, but his tone was not insulting.

"I understand your reservations, but the rituals are not mere superstition. The Adeptus Mechanicus has spent thousands of years studying the nature of the machine spirits, and the rituals are based on that research. You'll find that a properly tended rifle will serve you much better than a neglected one. For example, if you take two lasguns, give them the same level of maintenance but only apply the proper rituals to one of them, you'll find that the latter's performance is superior to the first, even if there's no visible reason for it to be." Willow replied.

"We will give it a try. You can teach these rituals to my men?" Hammond was a fairly open minded man willing to accept a great deal if it meant keeping his subordinates alive and healthy, not to mention his world and family safe from alien invasion.

"I can write down all the pertinent rites once I've reviewed the personnel files for the future acolytes." Willow replied.

"Right this way, then." The group left the firing range and headed to the main control room.

* * *

"You can access our personnel database from this terminal." Hammond gestured to one of the work stations. Willow nodded and took the seat before the terminal. To the surprise of the SGC staff, one of the mechadendrites shot forward and extended an interface jack that connected to one of the free ports on the computer. The screen of the terminal began to flicker rapidly, cycling through files at a staggering pace.

"Well, I have selected the candidates I feel are the most suitable for induction into the Cult Mechanicus." Willow spoke a few minutes later, and four files appeared on the screen.

"Bill Lee and Lindsey Novak are the ones I want permanently in Sunnydale, while Jay Felger and Chloe Angstrom would serve better here once they have been trained. The equipment we'll provide will require regular maintenance, not to mention Kendra. A Dreadnought is a machine that requires regular attention. Also, switching the modular weapons is a difficult operation I wouldn't entrust to anyone without the proper training." Willow replied.

"I will inform them of your decision, although it might take a while to get them all here." Hammond replied. Not everyone Willow selected was currently at the SGC.

"That's alright. Major Carter has offered to show me some of the technology you have managed to obtain. I daresay that will keep me busy enough." Willow smiled.

* * *

The few hours spent in the SGC labs was indeed very informative for Willow. The examination of the Jaffa staff gave her new insights that could greatly help her improve the reliability of the much more powerful, but more unstable Imperial plasma weapons. The biggest point of interest for Willow was a piece of technology the SGC had acquired recently, namely a Naquadah generator. The fusion generators Willow used were an extremely old design, maybe even from before the Dark Age of Technology, as she simply couldn't produce some of the components used in the more modern reactors, which in turn greatly reduced the maximal amount of energy she could provide to the factory.

The use of several Naquadah reactors would not only solve this problem, but with the extra energy, she may even be able to rebuild the generators into the more modern versions, further increasing the output and thus the maximal mass amount the constructor could produce.

"How soon can you manufacture six of these generators?" Willow asked eagerly.

"We may have to get them from Orban, but we can have them here in a few days if necessary. Why?" Carter felt that she had found a kindred spirit in Willow, and only her duty to SG-1 prevented her from volunteering for a transfer to Sunnydale.

"Our biggest problem is power. I am limited by both space and the level of available technology with how much energy I can provide to the factory. While I am excavating a chamber for a third reactor, it will not be complete in months. With the power provided by such a compact source, I can not only increase the factory's production output, but also refit the main generators, further increasing power and production, which in turn would mean more equipment for the SGC." Willow grinned.

"I will speak with General Hammond about it. I'm curious, are you capable of building a spaceship?" Carter asked.

"I have the knowledge, but not the means. With massive expansion, we may be able to manufacture some aircraft types that can also function in space, but it would a long time before we can even begin something like that." Willow sighed.

"Would it be possible to produce some components in other sites?" Carter asked.

"No. Even the metals we use for construction are produced using machines that only we can construct. But, there is something you can do. I can provide you with the designs for our servitors. If you manufacture them, it would liberate a lot of our resources." Willow grinned.

"But aren't they based on advanced technology as well?" Carter frowned.

"Not quite. The ones working on more complex tasks do have more advanced components, but excavators don't need anything complex. Also, the original design was developed over forty years ago on this Earth." This confused Carter.

"How is that possible?"

"It's a long story, let's just say we managed to obtain the only prototype and used it to construct more of it. While the technology is not that advanced, the potential for abuse, especially in modern society is very high, so they should be produced with care." Willow replied.

* * *

The phone in the lab rang at that point, and Carter picked it up. "Your recruits have arrived."

"I trust you've all been briefed on why you're here and have accepted the offer?" Willow asked once she was introduced to the four people she had chosen.

"Yes. Although I personally prefer Star Trek over Warhammer 40K." Dr. Felger grinned.

"Will we be required to wear uniforms?" Dr. Lee asked.

"The robe is required, yes. Other than that no, unless you want to." Willow shrugged.

"What exactly will our role be in your facility?" Lee continued.

"Oversight and programming. There is one more duty, but you'll learn about that once you've been fully ordained into the Adeptus Mechanicus." Willow grinned.

"Major Carter has filled me in on your discussion. I am certain we can accommodate you on both accounts." Hammond informed her. It was an easy decision to make as any aid to the Sunnydale facility would in turn mean more advanced equipment for the SGC.

"Thank you, General. We should get going. It's a long drive back to Sunnydale." Willow grinned and walked out of the conference room, followed by the four new adepts.

"What do you think, major?" Hammond turned towards the woman once they were alone.

"The Goa'uld are in for a surprise the next time we clash. I'd really like to see the looks on their faces once we finally have that Dreadnought going through the gate." Carter smirked.


	9. Chapter 9

Another chapter done, and I hope you will like it. Developing the long-term plot for this fic is a difficult process, and I still have a lot to go through. On another topic, one of the biggest problems I faced was just how much power plasma generators generate. My research in the topic was inconclusive, so for my fic at least, depending on size, plasma generators provide from 50% to 500% of a ZPM.

**Chapter 9**

"Home at last. Right this way, and stay close to me. The factory defenses don't like unescorted visitors." Willow led her new acolytes towards the factory annex.

"How do the defenses know we're not intruders?" Dr. Lee asked curiously.

"Every member of our group has a special broadcaster that allows them to enter the factory perimeter unharmed. Once here, there are also cameras and DNA scanners to ensure no intruders are attempting to breach the facility. The grounds are also consecrated, of course." Willow replied.

"Is everyone here?" Willow was a bit surprised when everyone from their group had gathered to greet the new people.

"We felt it best to introduce them to the whole group." Xander grinned.

"Alright, then I guess introductions are in order. This is Alexander Harris, Grey Knights Terminator-Chaplain. Next is Elizabeth Summers, Ordo Malleus Inquisitor. Daniel Osbourne, Techpriest, Amy Maddison and Jenny Callendar are our sanctioned witches. Rupert Giles is Buffy and Faith's Watcher. Faith Lehane is the third Vampire Slayer in our group along with Buffy and Kendra." Willow began.

"She is also the newest Battle Sister novice. In a few months, it might be a good idea to have her begin training with power armor." Xander grinned. Faith had really begun to embrace the Imperial Cult, as it helped her regain her purpose in life.

"And last but not least, Cordelia Chase, our Commissar-in-training. I'll introduce you to Kendra once we go into the factory. Now, Drs. Bill Lee, Lindsey Novak, Jay Felger and Chloe Angstrom." Willow concluded the introductions.

"Oz, would you mind taking them to their quarters?" Willow turned to her second. Oz just nodded, and the quartet followed him out of the room.

"So, did I miss anything?" Willow asked curiously.

"The others will fill you in. I'd rather not hear about the event again." Buffy spoke first.

"What happened?" Willow was really curious now.

"Well, first, we found out who the Big Bad is in this town. Turns out the Mayor is not just another corrupt politician." Xander sighed.

"Did you kill him?"

"No. Dealing with demons is while difficult, rarely complicated. But sorcerers are another matter altogether. We need to determine what he intends to do before we can move against him. It may be possible that killing him will unleash all manner of trouble for us." Xander sighed.

"Alright, so what's this event Buffy mentioned?" Willow asked again, and noticed a very mixed reaction from the group. While some giggled, Giles and Ms. Calendar blushed.

* * *

"Well, after you left, Snyder had us sell candy bars to raise money for the school's marching band. Only it turned out that the candy was enchanted to make any adult that ate it to act like a teenager." Amy continued.

"It was a downright mess, and it gave us a lot of trouble trying to figure out just what the hell was going on. Turns out the Mayor hired our old friend Ethan to cook up the spell so he could gather some babies to sacrifice to a demon." Xander said with a growl.

"Still, we managed to figure it out, saved the babies, barbequed the demon and cost the Mayor some henchmen. Sadly, Ethan managed to get away, but Buffy wasn't very happy with him so he lost an arm while he was running away." Xander concluded.

"But what is this event Buffy didn't want to listen about?" Willow was almost burning up with curiosity.

"Oh, right. Well, when we noticed the trouble, she went to Giles' place to discuss it with him. However, when she got there, she found these two," Xander pointed to the two sheepish looking adults in the room "in bed with Buffy's mother."

Willow's eyes nearly fell out of her head and her mouth was so wide open it was a wonder her jaw didn't fall off.

"I'll be in the factory." She managed to stammer out after a few minutes.

* * *

"Welcome to our little Factory-Cathedral." Willow said proudly as she led her new adepts into the factory. All of them wore white robes, and had breather masks on their faces, as this level had a lot of toxic fumes due to the smelters and the chemicals used to cool the metals.

"This level is the smelting area. This is where we produce the alloys we use in construction, as well as cast all parts we need. For now, this is where you will work. You will also spend time learning all the proper rites and procedures expected from a member of the Adeptus Mechanicus. I do not expect perfect devotion, but you will need to demonstrate you have mastered the most important topics. Once you have passed this stage, you will move on to the sub-level into the secondary manufactorum." Willow pointed to the massive cargo elevator in the middle of the factory.

"There you will monitor the final assembly of all equipment, and also learn how to properly use a mind-impulse unit. Only when you have mastered this skill will you be allowed to serve into the primary manufactorum." Willow instructed them.

"Will we be learning about Imperial technology as well?" Dr. Lee asked.

"All Mechanicus data will be at your disposal. A word of warning, though. Do not attempt to provide this data to others without my express approval. If you do so, even unwittingly, you will be considered a traitor at worst and a spy at best. Either way, the punishment is execution." The masks hid their reaction to Willow's warning, but she could guess that they took her very seriously.

"The final section of the factory is the raw material storage facility. As you can see, all materials are clearly labeled and organized. Now, this is the most important part. Before you approve anything for use in the factory, you must first check its manifest and ensure that it has been stamped with the Aquila Imperialis. This means that the material has been consecrated by Xander, and can be used for manufacturing. Under no circumstances are you to use unsanctified materials. Faith is our only shield against the demonic hordes that seek to destroy us, and we cannot allow their taint to infect our work lest it corrupt and destroy all that we strive to protect." Willow warned them.

* * *

"You're getting pretty good with that sword." Buffy grinned as Faith cut a vampire in two halves. The blessed blade caused the two halves to ignite, and the remains turned to ash in seconds.

"You and Xander are good teachers." Faith shrugged as she turned off the sword and holstered it in the sheath on her back.

"That was indeed adequate work." Both women turned around to see a woman in a business suit standing behind them.

"And you are?" Buffy frowned.

"Mrs. Gwendolyn Post. Ms. Lehane's new Watcher." The woman's tone practically oozed arrogance, and Buffy found she disliked it a great deal. Still, she had a lot of memories of dealing with much worse people in the Imperium, so she held her tongue in check.

"Very well. Follow us. I'm sure Giles will want to talk with you." Buffy shrugged.

Giles was quite surprised when he was told a new Watcher had arrived in town, especially without being informed beforehand.

"Call Travers. I thought I told him that the Watchers were not to take action in this town without my approval." Buffy reminded Giles.

"That won't be necessary. I was not due to arrive for a few more days. I am sure you will be informed properly." Mrs. Post cut in.

"I still want to talk with Travers. Sending another Watcher here is a very unsubtle hint, and I won't stand for it." Buffy, like any Inquisitor, did not take attacks on her authority lightly.

"What do you want this time, Summers?" Quentin Travers sounded quite annoyed. He disliked Buffy for her headstrong and willful attitude, which was extremely bad even before she gained the memories and skills of an Inquisitor.

"I am curious why the Council has sent a second Watcher to Sunnydale without asking us if such a person was necessary, or even wanted in the first place?" Buffy's tone was calm like a simmering volcano.

"We did no such thing. Giles is doing well enough on his own." Travers was confused.

"I have a Gwendolyn Post here claiming that the Council sent her as Faith's new Watcher." Buffy replied.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Post was looking around carefully for some way to escape without drawing attention. However, from the way both Giles and Faith were both watching her that would be quite difficult. And the woman didn't like the way Faith kept fingering her chainsword.

"Well, I'm glad we cleared that up. I apologize for bothering you, Mr. Travers. Have a nice day." Buffy hung up the phone.

"So, is she on the level?" Faith asked.

"No." With that, Buffy drew a dagger and threw it at the woman, hitting her right through the heart. She would have used her bolt pistol, but refrained from it since they were in the library.

"Travers said they kicked her out years ago. I guess they conveniently forgot to tell most people this fact." Buffy sighed. "I'll take her out. Faith, get a mop."

That was one of the reasons she disliked killing humans. Vampires at least had the common courtesy to turn to dust when you killed them.

* * *

Meanwhile, the work in the factory was progressing quite well. With four more people to oversee the smelters, they could produce a lot more metals, and thanks to the six naquadah generators that had recently arrived, the constructor's usefulness increased a great deal.

"I wish we could repair this thing. The ability to produce assembled components will aid us a great deal." Oz commented as he watched the machine create another roll of elektro-fibre, only this time, there was much more than usual.

"We simply don't have the knowledge. Using the machine is one thing, we can simply communicate with it using lingua-technis, but to read the schematics contained within the constructor, we need to understand the language of its creators." Willow replied.

"Why don't we ask the SGC for help? I believe Dr. Jackson to be quite the linguist." Oz suggested.

"Perhaps we will ask them one day, but not just yet. Buffy insisted we reveal as little as possible until they have proven they can be trusted." Willow sighed and turned back to the control interface to continue her work.

* * *

"Something bothering you, Dr?" Xander walked into the kitchen to find Dr. Lee staring solemnly at a cup of tea.

"Call me Bill. It's nothing, really. I just need time to adjust." The man sighed.

"Yes, I daresay what you've learned by coming here must weigh heavily on your mind." Xander took a seat and poured himself some tea as well.

"It took a while to get used to the fact that we could travel to other worlds and that aliens were real, and now I learn that there are even more things out to get our kind. Why is this planet so bloody important?"

"I cannot say. Perhaps it's just pure chance that this world is such as it is. That is something only the God-Emperor could answer, or perhaps, he'd be just as stumped as we are." Xander grinned. "The point is, it doesn't matter why, it's what we do about it is what counts."

"You make one hell of a preacher, Xander, you know that?" Bill grinned.

"I've been told that a few times. If you ever need to talk, you can always come to me." Xander grinned back.

"I also noticed your armor is a bit different than usual. Why's that?" Bill asked.

"Well, Willow felt that my armor should reflect my dual position in our group, so that's why the helmet is designed as a Chaplain helmet. It's a bit unusual, but nothing more than what we usually face." Xander shrugged.

* * *

The SGC quickly got a return of their investment of the naquadah reactors in the form of a shipment of over a dozen sets of armor, which were quickly distributed among the combat teams.

It was also a small surprise when they noticed that one of the suits was different, and there was also a smaller box with a letter to General Hammond taped to it.

As the general read the letter, O'Neill opened the box to reveal a folded flag and four medal boxes.

"What is this all about, sir?" The Colonel turned to his superior.

"Our friends in Sunnydale felt they should show their appreciation for our work. The special suit of armor is meant for you, Jack. To quote the letter, 'it would be an insult to Colonel O'Neill's rank and position to use anything less than full carapace armor.'" Hammond grinned.

"What about this stuff?" O'Neill nodded towards the box before him.

"Firstly, the medals are for SG-1. 'For exemplary performance in the line of duty and the protection of Holy Terra from alien invaders SG-1 is awarded the Star of Terra.'" Hammond read from the letter again as O'Neill and his team opened the medal boxes.

The medals were a simple four pointed gold star around a circle in which stood the symbol of Terra, a black circle around a cross.

"What about the flag?" O'Neill unfurled it, revealing a light tan cloth framed by gold. In the center was drawn a sword pointing down and splitting a serpent in two halves. On the top was written "1st Terran Regiment," and below the symbol was written "Serpentslayers."

"They have also offered the SGC an honorary commission as an Imperial Guard regiment. I guess we really impressed them." Hammond grinned.

"What should we do with it, sir?" O'Neill asked.

"Hang it in the briefing room. Our allies have honored us, and we should respond properly." Hammond replied.

* * *

"You're saying we don't need to develop new technology?" Hammond looked at Major Carter curiously.

"That's not what I said, General. I said we don't need to spend resources on developing new military technology. Our allies in Sunnydale already have the knowledge on weaponry superior to anything we've encountered so far, with the possible exception of the Asgard. And unlike anything we could develop, their weapons have been field tested for thousands of years. And it's not just weapons, they have the knowledge to build fighters and even spaceships, they just lack the facilities to do so. But, from what I've been told, they are constantly expanding their facility. In a few years, we would have access to space superiority fighters better than anything we could cobble together. That's why I propose we divert our resources in aiding the Sunnydale group and into other avenues of research like the archeology department." Carter concluded.

The General did not say anything for now as he observed the people occupying the briefing room at the moment. There were few military officers present, as this was a meeting with the scholars of the SGC, which, depending on the topic could end up being more critical than any military discussion, and as such had his undivided attention..

"I still find some of the weapons the Imperium uses as too barbaric. It might leave the wrong impression in some people." Hammond commented.

"Well sir, when you take into consideration what sort of opponents the Imperium has had to face, such weaponry is actually necessary. Enemies that make the Goa'uld look like saints. I don't like it any more than you do, but their use may make the Goa'uld think twice about fighting our teams." Carter responded.

"Alright major, how do you propose we aid our friends in California?" Hammond sighed after a few moments.

"We've already started by producing the servitors that they gave us the designs for, and we can also provide more raw materials and funding. In the future, we may be able to do more, but for now, that's it." Carter replied.

"Very well. I will discuss your proposals with my superiors. Dismissed." Hammond concluded the meeting.

Their newest allies had caused him a lot of trouble, but at the same time, the benefits were obvious to even the SGC's most extreme critics. The knowledge of a group possessing advanced technology in the US was met with a lot of debate on just what to do with them. Still, they managed to silence a lot of people by providing the SGC with weapons and armor that they felt would certainly turn things around on the Goa'uld.

The sole issue for the general was the fact that all the weapons and armor were heavily adorned with Imperial iconography. The Aquila and the winged skull featured prominently on everything they were given. Hammond had discussed the matter with them several times, but his talks bore no fruit. He was told, time and again that the symbols were there for a reason, and they would stay where they were.

Another topic on his mind were the prayers they were taught for the use of Imperial technology. Much to the confusion of his men, the prayers actually had an effect. While he was a religious man, he found the zealotry of their latest allies a bit unsettling. He made a note to discuss his worries with them when he had the chance.


	10. Chapter 10

Well, I finally got an update out. I apologize for the delay, but I recently had computer trouble that caused me to lose over 30 pages of prepared notes for my fics along with a whole mess of other things. Along with some RL issues, things got a little hectic. Anyway, a bit shorter than I'd like, but anything else I added would feel just tacked on. I hope that updates will become more frequent soon, and you can expect updates to my other fics to come within the next few days.

**Chapter 10**

Things had been progressing relatively well for Sunnydale lately, with deaths at an all-time low. The inhuman inhabitants of the town had managed to cobble a fragile truce with Buffy and her friends. She had let them know that as long as they left humans alone, they would be ignored. However, she also told them that for every human murdered in the city she would kill five demons to insure that the beasts themselves prevented anyone new from stirring trouble.

As for the mayor, at the moment both groups had limited their activities at espionage and misdirection. The Scoobies still had no idea what mayor Wilkins had planned, and were thus reluctant to take more direct action.

"Everything alright, Cordelia?" Willow noticed that her usually perky friend was rather somber today.

"It's Robert. He broke up with me." Cordelia sighed.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Are you going to be alright?"

"I just need some time alone. See you later Willow." Cordelia tried to smile, but it came out rather forced.

"You look troubled." Cordelia looked up from her seat on the high school's roof to see an unknown blond girl standing next to her.

"A little boy trouble. What are you doing up here?" Cordelia asked.

"Just enjoying the view. Mind if I join you?" The girl asked, and Cordelia gave a slight nod.

"Anya Emerson. I enrolled recently." The girl introduced herself.

"Cordelia Chase. Nice to meet you." Cordelia shrugged.

"Want to talk about it?" Anya asked.

"There's nothing to talk about. The asshole dumped me because I refused to sleep with him." Cordelia said briskly. "Then he had the nerve to imply that the whole breakup was my fault."

"Sounds like a real scumbag. Don't you wish something unpleasant happened to him?" Anya gave her a light grin.

"Yeah, I really want him to..." The door to the roof opened and cut off Cordelia.

"Is something wrong, Buffy?" Cordelia stood up, with Anya doing the same.

"I sensed a faint demonic presence from this area." Buffy said softly, shooting a pointed glance at Anya. The presence was indeed faint, but in a building full of humans, it was like ink in a pool of water.

"You tried to trick me, you bitch." Before Anya could speak, Cordelia swung around and planted a flawless right hook in her jaw, sending her stumbling back.

"Your judgment day has come, demon." Cordelia reached into her purse and pulled out her bolt pistol, and while Anya was still shaking off the punch, a bolt struck her chest, causing a small explosion and a burst of light. When the light cleared, the two girls saw that Anya had skidded almost to the edge of the roof.

"She still lives." Buffy commented as she noticed Anya's chest continue to move.

"Not for long." Cordelia raised her pistol and aimed at the unconscious woman before her.

"Wait. I no longer sense the demonic presence." Buffy knelt down and began examining the hole in Anya's shirt caused by the bolt, and noticed the remains of a pendant of some sort.

"She is human, then?" Cordelia asked.

"Yes. Help me carry her. We need to get out of here in case someone heard you shoot." Buffy pulled the girl up, and the two of them quickly walked down and towards the library.

* * *

Anya found herself awoken by a hard slap on her face, bringing into focus her already throbbing jaw, bruised back and the cracked chest bone from where the bolt struck her.

"You didn't have to hit so hard, you know." She protested.

"I do not show mercy to daemonhosts, for they deserve none." Buffy said coldly.

"I'm not a demonhost. I am a demon. Or was, thanks to your trigger-happy friend there." Anya snapped in reply.

"Explain." Buffy sat across her.

"Why should I?" Anya asked stubbornly.

"If you don't, we'll hang you by your arms and use you for target practice. I've been meaning to improve my knife throwing." Buffy grinned.

"And I would love to see how quickly my chainsword can cut through her. My bet is three seconds, but Giles said five." Cordelia patted the blade lovingly as she revved the blade.

"Well?" Buffy asked as Anya stared with mounting horror at the whirring string of jagged metal teeth spinning within the blade.

"Alright. It started over a thousand years ago, when I learned my boyfriend was cheating on me." Anya began her story, slowly explaining her role as a vengeance demon.

"I will make you a simple offer. You can work for our group and perform magic when we need it. In return, you'll get room and board and a reasonable stipend. If you refuse..." Here, Cordelia revved the blade again to accentuate the threat.

"You don't leave me much choice." Anya sighed.

"Good. I am needed elsewhere, but Giles here will bring you up to speed." Buffy pointed to the newly arrived Watcher before she walked out.

* * *

"I trust you had no trouble with the device." Buffy commented as she contacted the SGC using the vox unit that had been sent to the base with the last shipment of equipment. Xander had told her that general Hammond wanted to talk to her, so she rushed over to see what the man wanted.

"Your instructions were very useful. The reason I have contacted you is because certain elements in the government have expressed concern about your group. The president has requested a meeting with you in order to decide what the official policy of the US government will be." Hammond informed her.

"Very well. I will be in DC in two days time." Buffy sighed and turned off the vox. If there was one thing she hated, it was politics.

* * *

Buffy walked through the crowded airport with a slight scowl on her face. After the long trip, she was not looking forward to the upcoming meeting. Fortunately, she spotted her escort quickly, a man in an uniform holding a sign with her name.

"Ms. Summers, I am Major Davis. I have a car standing by outside." Buffy simply nodded and followed behind the man.

For the occasion, she wore a rather elegant business suit, and the only things that were out of place on her were the golden aquila necklace resting on her chest and the rosary with the barred I tied around her wrist.

"How soon before I meet with the president?" Buffy asked. When she had told her mother why she was going to DC, the woman nearly had a stroke from the surprise.

"Tomorrow morning. We hoped to allow you to rest after your long flight." The major replied.

"Your consideration is appreciated, but unnecessary. I have spent plenty of time on rest and meditation during my journey here. Still, there is no need to interrupt the president's schedule on my account. You have a hotel room set for me?" Buffy gave Davis a smile.

"Yes ma'am. We're headed there now." Davis nodded.

"This is rather nice." Buffy commented as she was shown to her room.

"The US government spares no expense for VIP visitors." Davis replied.

"Again, thank you, major. At what time should I be ready?" Buffy asked.

"I will arrive to pick you up at 0900 hours. Have a pleasant evening, ma'am." Davis replied and walked away.

* * *

The next morning, Buffy was led through the White House and into the Oval office.

"Lady Inquisitor Elizabeth Summers, Mr. President." Davis led her in.

"Thank you major." The president nodded.

"Ms. Summers, I trust you already know General Hammond. Also joining us for this meeting is Senator Robert Kinsey." The President introduced the rest of the people in the room.

"A pleasure. Now, may I ask why I have been dragged clear across the country for?" Buffy asked.

"I am merely concerned that there's a group in this country that possesses advanced technology..."

"That you do not control. I can assure you that our one and only agenda is ensuring the survival and dominance of humanity in this galaxy." Buffy cut him off.

"We have only your word on that." Kinsey joined in.

"I believe we have been very forthcoming towards the SGC. A rather sizable cashe of equipment has already been given to them, and much more will follow. Or is the problem perhaps that it is only they that benefit from us, senator?" Buffy grinned.

"That is not what I was saying." Kinsey snapped back.

"Please, your thoughts on the matter are painfully obvious." Buffy scoffed.

"You're reading my mind!" Kinsey jumped up in outrage.

"My control is not perfect, senator. I do pick up some surface thoughts from time to time. Trust me, if I wanted to read your mind, you'd know it." Buffy grinned.

"What do you mean by that?" Hammond asked to allow the senator to simmer down.

"To read a person's mind, I would have to devote a lot more energy and focus into the process. The target would feel my presence." Buffy replied.

"Tell me, can this ability be blocked?" Hammond was the first to ask the question they all wanted to know.

"Non-psykers cannot block the intrusion, merely delay it. Still, it is not something that is used often. It is unpleasant for myself as well. Now, let us return to the matter at hand. What exactly do you want from us?" Buffy replied.

"You have knowledge of all technology available to the Imperium?" The President asked.

"More or less. Our senior techpriest adds new info to our database on a daily basis." Buffy replied.

"You can build ships, perhaps? That is currently our biggest weakness." Hammond asked.

"We have the knowledge to construct every class in use in the Imperium, but actually constructing them is a different matter. Imperial ships are built in space and are quite large. We would need to radically modify certain aspects of the ships to allow us to build even the smallest class. We would also need to increase the size of our factory by a significant amount. If we increase the amount of raw materials and add a few more techpriests, we can provide you with several fighters within a year." Buffy replied.

"How effective are these fighters?" Kinsey asked.

"Compared to the Goa'uld Death Gliders, very. Of course, we won't know for certain until we have them built and tested, but we are confident that they will be more then adequate. We also have designs for a much larger and heavier fighter that would serve solely in space."

"What about FTL capability?" Hammond continued.

"That is a problem that we cannot solve on our own. Imperial ships use the Warp to travel between the stars. However, without the Astronomican and navigators, ships that enter the Warp will emerge at a completely random point in space and time." Buffy replied.

"You mean you can travel through time as well in this manner?" Hammond frowned.

"Time has no meaning in the Warp. There are cases where entire fleets arrived to protect systems that were not under threat yet, or emerge from the Warp to discover they are centuries too late. But like I said, without navigators, it is pointless to construct a warp drive. We would have to adapt the technology in use in this galaxy." Buffy replied.

* * *

"I have been reading a bit on what the Imperium has at their disposal, and I was curious about some of the technologies in question. Perhaps you could shed more light on the subjects?" Kinsey joined in.

"I'll do my best." Buffy nodded.

"Do you have the means to produce Space Marines?"

"It would be difficult to produce the necessary implants, but not impossible. However, the process needs to start before the subject enters puberty and takes years to complete. The casualty rate is also quite high." Buffy replied.

"That is not something I am willing to approve, no matter how desperate matters become." The President cut in.

"What about other types of enhanced soldiers?" Kinsey pressed on.

"We intend to form an Order of the Adepta Sororitas soon. They use powered armor and heavier weapons. Once their numbers grow sufficiently, we can assign several squads to support the SGC, as well as any other organization, should the need arise." Buffy replied.

"I have only one last question, then. What about cyclonic torpedoes?" Kinsey continued.

"That is a weapon of planetary destruction. I will not authorize their construction or use without unquestionable proof of their need." Buffy replied coldly.

"What can you tell me of the threat in Sunnydale?" The President decided to change the subject.

"We have it well under control, and we are well prepared for any emergencies that might arise in the future." Buffy replied.

"That is still one city. What about the rest of the country?" The President pressed on.

"We have established a support network that allows all groups that combat demonic forces easier access to information and supplies. Thanks to this, the overall success of these groups has increased considerably. There is one matter however. Some of the hunter groups have recently come under the investigation from the ATF considering illegal procurement of weapons. Would it be possible to halt these investigations?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not sure." The President frowned.

"They are not a threat to anyone but the demons they hunt, Mr. President. The ATF simply does not have all the information, and even if they did, I doubt they would believe it."

"I will discuss it with the relevant departments. I have only two more topics I would like to discuss with you at this time." The President acquiesced on her demand. "Would it be possible to produce components for the technologies you use at other sites?"

"I have discussed the matter with my senior techpriest. We intend to manufacture special components that can be used to construct smelters capable of creating the alloys we use. If we provide other facilities with these machines, they will be able to create hulls, armor plates and equipment casings, allowing our facility to focus on the more complex components. This way, provided we rework the technology somewhat, we expect Earth to have at least one fully functional spaceship and a fleet of fighters within two to three years." Buffy replied.

* * *

"That is excellent news. My last cause for concern is the religion you practice." The President's tone shifted to a more cautious note.

"Faith is our greatest shield as well as weapon against the demonic forces we face. Through our devotion to the God-Emperor we protect His children." Buffy grinned.

"That's exactly what we're talking about. This zealotry of yours is the issue here." Kinsey joined in.

"The God-Emperor is the master of humanity. Whether or not you believe it, that is your decision."

"Your Emperor is nothing more than a fictional character." Kinsey snapped.

"I will warn you only once. Never speak ill of the God-Emperor in the presence of His faithful." Buffy's tone was frigid as she leveled a glare at the older man, making him shiver.

"Ms. Summers, I am merely worried about you forcing this religion on people unwilling to follow it." The President moved in to defuse the situation.

"We force no one, Mr. President. Those who have accepted the Imperial Cult have done so on their own volition." Buffy assured him.

"What about all the iconography that has been placed on the equipment you have provided to the SGC?" The President asked.

"That is merely the standard manufacturing pattern, and our machines have been configured to produce them as such. As I have told general Hammond, the images serve a purpose, and even if that was not the case, we would need to halt production for several weeks to retool the equipment to produce items without the images on them." Buffy replied.

"Very well, then. I believe that your group can be a valuable asset to not only this country, but the entire planet, so I offer you a formal recognition as a branch of the government. A suitable budget and other matters can be discussed at a later date." The President gave her a small smile. Meanwhile, Kinsey seemed like he wanted to say something, but seemed to reconsider it.

"General Hammond, I have one request for you, if I may." Buffy turned to the general who nodded in agreement. "We require a skilled translator for some ancient texts we procured. Would it be possible for Dr. Jackson to come to Sunnydale for a few days?"

"I will speak with him as soon as I return to the SGC." Hammond replied.

"I guess this is where we part ways. Ms. Summers, it was a pleasure talking to you." The President stood up and held out his hand to Buffy.

"Likewise, Mr. President. Until we meet again." Buffy grinned and turned to walk away.


	11. Chapter 11

Another chapter done, and I hope it turned out well. I'd like to thank those that reviewed. You've brought a lot of questions, and I hope I can answer at least some. First, I'm not sure if I wasn't clear on the topic, Xander is a psyker only a bit weaker then Buffy. The second is on the subject of the upcoming space craft that will be constructed. The Sunnydale group will not produce everything, just the most complex components and will aid in the assembly. The fighter pattern used will be the Lightning, with something like the Fury Interceptor added much later. As for capitol ships, they will be a new hybrid class, and I already have some good ideas on that topic. Next, some of you complained that things are too easy for the protagonists. That is all part of my long-term plan. Rest assured there will be hardships that will push all the sides beyond their limits, and no, I will NOT bring in Warp Daemons. Lastly, I am aware that my fics come out a bit rushed, and it is something I am working to correct, but it will not be something I can fix overnight. Also, the next chapter will be a completely SG-1 and will cover the two-part story starting with Jolinar's Memories.

**Chapter 11**

Buffy returned from her trip to DC to find that Sunnydale was a town gone mad. The adults were on a crusade against the occult, and several students had already faced searches, and several stores selling occult books and paraphernalia had had their stocks seized and destroyed.

"When did all this madness start?" Buffy asked once she was back in the factory.

"Two days ago. I found two dead children out on patrol, both of them had an occult mark on their hands. When the police discovered the corpses, the whole town went up in arms about it." Faith replied.

"What have the citizens done so far?"

"They've been hunting down all traces of occult practice in the city. We have decided to simply let them oust all unsanctioned practitioners, and only jump in if things get too violent. Since we have relocated the books from the library to here, our own resources are not in danger." Faith continued.

"I have also sensed a new demonic presence, but it is difficult to pinpoint. It moves about and fades in and out of my perception." Xander added.

"We'll probably have more success if we work together. Has the mayor done anything?" Buffy asked.

"He is giving full support to the witch hunter groups, and even allowed a search of the school. I believe he was very disappointed to learn that we had already relocated our books from the library." Faith grinned.

"This may be a plot of his to deny us the knowledge at our disposal. A brilliant move, whether he's the instigator or merely exploiting the opportunity." Buffy mused.

"How do we react, then?" Xander asked.

"Let the witch hunters scare the unsanctioned witches a bit more, then move in and offer them sanctuary. This may be just the chance we need to eradicate non-Imperial users without us looking like the bad guys." Buffy grinned.

* * *

Buffy turned out to be right, as five students contacted Amy directly or through another in search of protection from the adults, and she promptly gave them the same deal she had. Facing nearly certain death either way, the group quickly agreed.

"I still can't pinpoint it. It moves around too rapidly." Buffy grumbled over her vox bead as she and Xander tried to locate the demon responsible for the whole witch hunt mess.

"Perhaps we need to add a little magical aid to the search?" Xander suggested.

"I'll talk to Giles. Continue your patrol, I'll be escorting the truck with the new shipment for the SGC to the train station." Buffy responded.

"Evening boys." Buffy grinned at the four soldiers that were assigned to guard the shipments.

"Ma'am. Full load tonight?" One of the men commented as three servitors that were designed to look like humans began unloading the truck into an empty cargo car.

"Just about. Here's your copy of the manifest. Have a pleasant trip." Buffy grinned. Considering the value of the cargo shipments, they were heavily guarded, and every last drop of paint was accounted for on the manifests. To ensure nothing was 'misplaced', Willow held one manifest, the escort had another, and a third was sent to the SGC. This ensured that no rogue elements could intercept the shipments without repercussions.

* * *

"Any news?" Buffy asked once she was back to the factory.

"Yeah. We did some research, and found out that the dead children the police found actually died centuries ago. We think the demon is using their form to manipulate humans." Giles informed her.

"A demon working against witches. That's a novel concept." Buffy grinned.

"We are working on some spells and potions that will force it to come out and reveal itself." Giles continued.

"We got trouble. We got a crowd headed this way, and I don't think they'll stop at fences." Faith rushed in.

"The turrets will rip them to shreds before they even reach the factory grounds." Buffy stood up.

"Xander, you're with me. We need to keep those people away. Willow, deactivate the outer defenses, but keep the combat servitors active. Someone might use the distraction to sneak in. Faith, Cordelia, when Giles finishes with the spells, find the demon and kill it." Buffy commanded and rushed out.

"Keep things non-lethal." Buffy turned to Xander as she picked up a quarterstaff from the armory. Xander simply nodded as he put his helmet. With his armor, he didn't need a weapon.

"Get the witches." Buffy froze for a second when she saw her own mother leading the mob, but the moment passed quickly, and she rushed forward, staff swinging around and began knocking people down.

Meanwhile, Xander waded into the crowd, knocking people down just by walking. As carefully as possible, he would occasionally swing his hands around, knocking people out.

Despite this intense resistance, the crowd was relentless, and ever so slowly, began gaining ground.

"Giles, what's your status?" Buffy tapped her vox unit as she stood against her mother. 'For a middle-aged gallery owner, she's got some serious moves.' Buffy grinned lightly as her mother managed to dodge Buffy's staff strike and actually tried to counterattack with the large 2x4 she had in her hands. With a quick feint, Buffy managed to bring her staff around and drive it into her mother's stomach.

"Sorry mom." Buffy winced as she brought her staff on top of her head and finally knocked her out.

"The spell is complete, Faith and Cordelia left to face the demon." Giles reported back.

Only minutes later, the crowd collapsed as the demon's influence was broken.

"Xander, you'd best get away before they wake up. Take this." Buffy threw him the staff and he quickly rushed away. No matter how many times she saw it, Buffy would continue to be amazed at how fast an Astartes in power armor could actually move.

* * *

It took a while, but Buffy managed to convince the crowd had gathered at the factory for an environmental awareness rally, and the bruises were blamed on tripping. While flimsy, the crowd seemed to buy it, and quickly dispersed.

"I guess this wasn't a rally?" Joyce asked once she was alone with her daughter.

"Afraid not. Just the usual demonic influence." Buffy sighed.

"Do you know what the hell bashed me over the head?" Joyce asked as she rubbed the goose egg on the back of her head with a wince.

"That was me, actually. Sorry about that." Buffy said sheepishly as her mother gave her a withering glare.

"Elizabeth Anne Summers, I can't believe you beat up your own mother." Joyce shouted.

"You were controlled by a demon." Buffy shouted back.

"That's no excuse. You're lucky I don't ground you, young lady." Joyce huffed.

"Come on, we better get some ice on your head." Buffy shook her head and turned to walk next to her mother.

"How did I do?" Joyce asked as they walked.

"You were the best, mom." Buffy gave her a big grin.

* * *

The impromptu witch hunts were quickly forgotten, and the gang began preparing for two things. The first was Buffy's eighteenth birthday, while the second was the arrival of Quentin Travers from England. While the Sunnydale group did not always run smoothly with the Council, there was a good possibility to improve relations.

"Mr. Travers, it is a pleasure to meet you in person." Buffy grinned as she shook the man's hand.

"Likewise, I'm sure. This is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, one of our brightest Watchers. I hope that you will allow him to stay here and gain some valuable field experience." Travers introduced his companion, a man Buffy instantly classified as a 'stuffy Brit' the moment she saw him.

"I am sure we can accommodate him. Now, shall we get to the point of this meeting?" Buffy turned serious.

"The Watcher's Council debated your request and offers extensively, and while we are not pleased with your plans, we agree that your performance has been remarkable lately, and have decided to accept your proposal." Travers began.

"How many have you gathered?" Buffy asked.

"Forty. All of them are orphans and all have been confirmed as Potentials." Travers sighed.

"That is over twice what I expected, but we can handle it. They know why they're here for?" Buffy asked.

"They know they're Potentials, and that they were brought here to learn and train with the actual Slayer." Travers replied.

"Let's go meet them, then." Buffy grinned.

* * *

The group walked out into the factory courtyard, where a group of girls ranging in age from fourteen to eighteen were gathered.

"Ladies, welcome to Sunnydale. My name is Buffy." She smiled at the group.

"You're the Slayer? You don't look like much." An older and much larger girl scoffed.

"Is this proof enough?" Buffy stepped forward and lifted her off her feet with the casual ease one would lift a feather pillow.

"Alright, so you are the real deal. What do you want us for?" The girl asked again.

"What's your name?" Buffy asked.

"Mary." The girl replied.

"Well Mary, the truth is, a single person, no matter how endowed is sometimes not enough to handle the threats we face. That is why over the past three years, I have gathered friends and allies that have aided me in my fight against evil. I admit that if I hadn't, I would not be standing before you today." Buffy replied.

"But how can we fight against vampires and demons without being Called?" Mary continued to question. It was clear that as one of the oldest in the group, she was considered the group's leader.

"Good question. Allow me to introduce your new superior." She whistled in her vox unit, which was the signal for Faith.

* * *

One of the factory doors opened, and Faith strode out, clad in full Canoness power armor, her chainsword held firmly in her right hand and a bolter in her left. Hanging above her on a pole attached to her armor was a tan flag with golden trim bearing the symbol of a winged woman holding a sword aloft.

"Ladies, this is Faith Lehane, Canoness of the Order of OurValiant Sister. She will oversee your training and future combat operations." Buffy grinned as Faith stopped before the awed girls and took off her helmet.

"Willow really went all out with the armor. I'm surprised they got it done so quickly." Faith turned to Buffy.

"Kendra insisted they focus on it. Well ladies, still think you have no chance?" Buffy grinned.

"We'll all get armor like that?" Mary asked in awe.

"Well, not exactly like this one, but yes, you will be given both armor and weapons as soon as they are constructed." Buffy replied.

"Well, count me in." Mary grinned, and the other girls quickly followed suit. Some had even approached Faith and examined the armor, wondering at its elegance and beauty and the power it represented.

"Just one question. This is a religious Order, right? Like nuns?" One girl raised her hand, causing some mutterings to spread through the girls.

"Yes, you will be expected to adhere to the religious doctrine of the Order, however you are not forbidden from having relations with men, but you will be required to use birth control drugs. If you want to have children, you will have to receive permission from your commanding officer which is Faith here." Buffy replied calmly, causing some of the girls to blush.

"What exactly is the religion you spoke of?" Mary asked.

"I will allow our Chaplain to explain that. Faith, please lead our new recruits to the chapel." Buffy gestured to the annex, and the girls slowly filed in the building.

* * *

"They will all possess such armor?" Wesley was certainly impressed and awed by Faith. He knew she was a Slayer, and wondered just how much more dangerous she was with such tools at her disposal. He found the thought to be most disconcerting.

"There are different types, depending on what role the individual Sister serves, but yes, they will all be heavily armed and armored. Once they have been sufficiently trained and equipped, we will assign two squads to the Council's authority, to be used where you consider they would serve best." Buffy replied.

'And of course, to ensure that you continue to serve in humanity's best interest.' Buffy smirked inwardly. She would make sure that the most fanatical Sisters got that duty to ensure the Watchers gave them no trouble in the future.

"We will continue our search for viable recruits. We expect to gather at least fifty viable recruits per year." Travers was not a fool and he realized what even one person with such equipment could accomplish. Two whole squads would certainly be a powerful tool in the hands of the Council, and perhaps just what they needed to finally break the stalemate with the demonic hordes and begin pushing them back for the first time in history.

* * *

"You had other topics you wished to discuss with us?" Buffy turned back to the annex.

"Some of the Council members expressed concern about the loyalty of the Order you're forming." Travers began once they were back in the conference room.

"I can assure you that by the time their training is over, they will fight to the death if need be, praising the Emperor to their last dying breath. After all, there is no greater honor for the Adepta Sororitas then to die in battle against the enemies of humanity." Buffy grinned widely.

"You plan on indoctrinating them somehow?" Travers asked.

"Of course. In the Order they will find a family, and in the God-Emperor they will find purpose. They will serve well in combating both the Enemy Within and the Enemy Beyond." Buffy nodded. The modern democratic society would frown heavily at such actions and methods, but Buffy gave such thoughts no consideration. She would do what she felt was necessary to protect mankind, and would face the judgment for her actions when she had finally passed on in the Emperor's embrace.

"I was also concerned about your dealings with the US government. I am not sure that was a wise decision." Travers continued.

"We had caught their attention, and I felt it was best if we avoided confrontation with the military as that would distract us from more important matters. There is also the fact that the organization we're aiding is the only defense we have from the Enemy Without." Buffy replied.

"I still find it hard to believe that after so many centuries of fighting demons, we were almost destroyed by aliens." Travers gave a humorless laugh.

"It does take a while to accept the fact, but they are more than capable, and with the weapons and equipment we've been providing them, their ability to protect us all has increased. And, they have aided us greatly in return as well. Soon we will further increase our cooperation and begin producing fighter craft. In time, we will be able to switch from defense to offense as our space fleet grows." Buffy grinned.

"Are you sure it is wise to give the US government such advanced technology?" As a British citizen, Travers had no great love or faith in the 'Colonies'.

"We are taking precautions against duplicity. Should they turn on us, they will not find us unprepared." Buffy assured him.

"Thank for your assurances, Ms. Summers. Now, I would like to speak with Rupert in private. Perhaps you could show Wesley here around your facility?" Travers turned to the somewhat forgotten pair of Watchers who were busy talking to themselves while Travers talked to Buffy.

"Of course. Right this way. I'll show you to your new quarters first." Buffy gestured for Wesley to follow.

* * *

"I expect you wish to discuss the Cruciamentum?" Giles turned serious once they were alone.

"Do you think it is still a viable option?" Travers asked.

"No, for either of the three. Kendra is currently encased in a war machine that could rip a tank apart, you already saw Faith, and Buffy's acquired psychic ability make her an enemy you would be foolish to oppose. They would destroy anything we could arrange with ease, with or without their Slayer ability." Giles concluded.

"Some of the Council members will not like this break from tradition, but I understand that things had moved far from the old days. Keep up the good work, Rupert." Travers sighed. Sometimes, being the head of the Watchers Council was more trouble then it was worth.


	12. Chapter 12

**It has been a long hiatus, but today, I was watching Motörhead perform at Wacken, and I was simply inspired to forget my problems and finish this chapter, and here it is, my first Stargate-only chapter.  
**

**Chapter 12**

"What brings you to this part of the base, Carter?" O'Neill paused his shooting practice as his 2IC walked in, followed by a couple of technicians. Even after months of using it, he was still amazed at the simplicity and the capability of the lasgun he was firing. And to think that the Imperium thought of it as a very light weapon.

"The latest shipment from Sunnydale, sir. They added some of their latest prototypes in it, and asked us to field test them." She pointed to the two weapon crates the technicians were opening.

"Now that is a cool looking gun." O'Neill grinned as he threw a glance at the large rifle sitting in its box along with a number of cartridges that he guessed were ammunition for it.

"Why don't you try it out, sir?" Carter picked it up and passed it over to him.

"What exactly does this do, Carter?" O'Neill asked as he examined it. From the number of exhaust fins and vents on it, he could guess it produced a lot of heat.

"It's a plasma rifle, sir. From what I was told about it, its power exceeds even that of a Goa'uld staff cannon, but it's obviously much more portable. Press the button by the trigger to activate it." She pointed to the small button just above Jack's finger.

As soon as he pressed it, the rifle began to hum and he could feel it grow warm in his hands.

Grinning at the thought of playing with a new toy, he took careful aim at the target dummy and squeezed the trigger.

A ball of blinding white blasted off and to his surprise, burned a hole right through the dummy, vaporizing most of its chest and even managed to scorch the wall behind it.

"That was smokin' hot, Carter. I'll have to get me one of these." Jack grinned widely.

"I'll speak with General Hammond about it, sir. This one is assigned to SG-5." She grinned as he made a pouting expression. "Why don't you fire a few more shots? We need more data."

Jack didn't need much encouragement to comply, and he happily vaporized a few more targets while Carter took measurements with all sorts of instruments.

"Well, the use of naquadah in the cooling systems seems to have greatly increased the stability of the weapons. The examination of the staff weapons seems to have given Willow some ideas on how to improve the design as well. I think we'll receive a few more of these in the future." Carter grinned.

"What's in the other box, then?" O'Neill pointed at the much larger second box that the technicians were opening.

"Something for SG-3 this time. A meltagun." Carter lifted the lid, drawing a whistle from O'Neill.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." O'Neill picked it up with a grin, grunting slightly from the weight.

"It's a bit heavy, but the damage it causes more than makes up for it." Carter replied.

It took a few moments before the meltagun was finally aimed at one of the dummies. When Jack pressed the trigger, a slight shimmer in the air before him was the only indication something had happened before the target dummy simply melted down into slag.

"Now that is one bad ass gun. Really heavy bastard, though." O'Neill commented as he set the weapon down.

"Well sir, it's normally mounted on vehicles or used by people wearing power armor. Those are actually even bigger. This one is slightly scaled down for use by normal infantry." Carter replied.

"Can't we..." O'Neill began, but suddenly, the alarm klaxon sounded, informing them of an unscheduled incoming traveler.

By the time they reached the control room, the wormhole was already formed.

"We're receiving an IDC, sir. It's the Tok'ra."

"Open the iris." Hammond ordered.

"Maybe it's dad." Jack grinned at Carter. However, instead of Jacob Carter, three Tok'ra walked in from the gate, led by Martouf.

"Samantha, it is good to see you." The man said softly as he stopped before Carter.

"Martouf. What brings you here?" Carter asked.

"Perhaps we could talk in private?" Martouf's face had turned grim.

"It's my father, isn't it?" Carter's face too had grown grim.

"I'm afraid he has been captured by Sokar, and banished to hell." Martouf replied.

"Hell?" Jack asked.

"A place of eternal suffering and damnation, from which there is no return."

Needless to say, SG-1 quickly opted to mount a rescue mission, especially after Martouf told them that the only person who had escaped from Sokar's prison moon Netu was Jolinar, and those memories were most likely buried deep in Carter's mind.

"I guess we'll need some serious hardware to get through this, eh Carter?" Jack grinned as the group walked into the armory.

"We cannot take any weapons with us, Colonel. If we are to convince the denizens of Netu that we are like them, we cannot be armed." Martouf interjected.

"You're telling me we can't take any weapons with us?" Jack was obviously not thrilled with the idea of going to an enemy stronghold unarmed.

"I think we have something that might aid us." Carter began looking through the numerous crates marked with the Imperial Aquila.

"Here Colonel, try this on." Carter pulled out a long cloak, similar to their rain cloaks and handed it to Jack. Once he put it on, he found that it also came with a hood and face mask.

"So, what does it do, Carter?" Jack asked, feeling a little silly wrapped in the cloak. In response, Carter just pressed a button on the inside of the sleeve, and Jack simply disappeared.

"You have phase-shifting technology?" Martouf had heard that Earth had obtained more advanced weapons and technology and the evidence was there before him, but he didn't know they had access to such advancements.

"It's not phase-shifting. The material of the cloak can simply mimic its surroundings very rapidly, allowing for concealment even when moving. With this, Colonel O'Neill will be able to carry weapons and aid us should we get into trouble." Carter replied.

"Let's get this show on the road then. I wonder what Hell is like this time of the year?" Jack commented as he took the cloak off.

A few hours later, SG-1 was on the planet Vorash, ready to board a spaceship that would take them to Netu.

"You got everything, Carter?" O'Neill asked while Teal'c and Martouf were busy at the helm.

"Yes sir. You should probably get some practice with the camo-cloak before we get to Netu, sir. While it is very efficient, it does not give you perfect invisibility, especially when you're moving." She warned him.

"Alright. You sure you can remember the way out once we get there?" O'Neill asked.

"The memories are there sir, I just have to access them. I just hope dad is alright." Carter frowned.

"I'm sure he is. We'll get him out, you can be certain of that." Jack grinned.

The trip was largely uneventful, and soon enough Martouf, Jack, Sam and Daniel entered the ship's four escape pods in order to descend to Netu, leaving Teal'c behind in order to relay any info using a communication device along with an eventual pickup once they had Jacob and had discerned the means to leave the moon.

"Remind me to never do that again." Jack grumbled as he climbed out of his pod. The cloak and the equipment he was carrying underneath had left a handful of bruises.

"You should activate the cloak and follow us, sir. Just be careful." Carter commented as Jack nodded and vanished. Another useful part of the cloak was the filter in the face mask, which would mean that at least Jack would not be impaired by Netu's toxic atmosphere.

With the location now before her, and with the memory recall device active, Carter managed to lead them into the tunnels towards the old colony, right until they were surrounded by a group of denizens. Above them, an armored man with a staff weapon and a face mask walked up to observe the new arrivals.

"Kneel before Nao'nak." The masked man commanded, his voice revealing him to be a Goa'uld. After a few tense moments, the group decided to play along and fell on their knees.

"Who are these, Nao'nak?" Another Goa'uld emerged from a higher tunnel.

"New arrivals, my Lord." Nao'nak replied quickly.

"Let us greet them properly then. Throw them in the pit." The man grinned malevolently and walked back into the tunnel as a group of denizens picked up the rescue squad and dragged them towards a deeper part of the prison.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it was in this part of the prison that they found Jacob Carter.

"How is he?" Jack whispered as he passed the box of medicines he had with him through the prison door to Daniel.

"Not good. The medicines will help, but we need to get him out soon." Daniel sighed.

"There's something you should know, in case I don't make it. I discovered that Sokar's fleet is ten times bigger than we believed. He is planing to launch an attack against the other System Lords two weeks after the day I was captured." Jacob managed to cough out.

While Sam was busy treating her father, Daniel used the communication device he had to inform Teal'c of the grim news they had received. Needless to say, they all knew what would happen if Sokar succeeded. They would stand no chance against such a powerful foe.

Now that they had located Jacob, all that was left was to find a way to escape, which was easier said than done, as Carter still couldn't remember just how Jolinar managed to escape the moon.

"Martouf, didn't you say we couldn't bring weapons? How come that Nao'nak had a staff weapon?" Daniel asked.

"He is the first prime of Bynar, the Lord of Netu. Sokar permits him one hand device and a staff for his first prime. I have seen him in Sokar's palace, so a way off this world must exist." Jacob answered him.

"Rings. There are rings in Bynar's quarters." Sam finally managed to dredge out the relevant memories, although considering that Jolinar had seduced Bynar to escape, it was not a pleasant event to relive.

"Won't that bring us right into Sokar's palace?" Daniel asked.

"The cargo ship we arrived in has rings as well. All Teal'c has to do is get into the right position." Martouf replied.

"Let's go then." Daniel and Martouf helped Jacob walk, Sam briefed Teal'c on the plan while Jack shot the lock of the cell off and provided backup.

Bynar was resting in his quarters when the doors of the room opened by themselves. He noticed a faint ripple in the air before a bright red ray of light turned his remaining eye into a smoking crater.

"The gem is the activation key." Sam took a small red crystal from Bynar's amulet and walked to a statue in one of the walls.

"Teal'c, let us know the moment you are in position." Jack contacted their ride and began distributing the weapons he had on him. Carter took the second las rifle, while Daniel and Jacob took the two las pistols. Martouf relieved Bynar of his hand device and joined the group at defending the door in case anyone decided to walk in.

"I am in position, O'Neill." Teal'c voice echoed from the communicator just as the door opened and Nao'nak walked in. He had just a moment to think 'What the fuck?', before a volley of las bolts impacted all over his body.

The last thing O'Neill saw before he was transported away was the shocked face of Apophis when his helmet slipped off as he fell on the ground, and he knew that the sight would warm his heart for years to come.

"I have some good news for Sha're. Turns out Nao'nak was Apophis." O'Neill smirked.

"We're still in trouble though. When Sokar's fleet attacks the System Lords, there will be no stopping him." Jacob said grimly.

Soon enough, they were back on Earth, debriefing general Hammond on the rescue mission.

"I think we should inform our friends in Sunnydale about this. Perhaps together we can come up with some solution." Hammond called Sunnydale, and soon enough, Buffy was filled in on the situation.

"Well, the standard doctrine for such a situation would be to lead the two sides into a direct confrontation. Alert the System Lords of Sokar's plans and have them annihilate each other." Buffy commented.

"The System Lords will never gather enough ships in time to counter Sokar's fleet." Jacob informed her.

"Then we'll just have to buy them time. My techpriests assure me they can program a virus that can spread throughout Sokar's fleet and disable various control systems. By the time they purge it and get the ships back on line, the System Lords would have had the time to amass a fleet big enough to destroy him." Buffy explained her plan.

"That might work. We still have agents amongst Sokar's forces who could upload the virus, and we can alert the System Lords about Sokar's fleet. Of course, we'll need to get the virus ready as soon as possible." Jacob felt a dash of hope for the first time in weeks.

"I'll send someone over to the SGC at once. It would help him greatly if has the help of someone well versed in Goa'uld computer systems." Buffy replied.

"I'll have our best experts ready." Jacob replied.

"Good. My man should arrive in several hours. May the Emperor look with favor on our endeavor." With that, Buffy hung up.

While Jacob had a lot of different ideas on as to how this techpriest he was to escort back to the Tok'ra base, seeing the calm young man covered in a white robe with a long mechadendrite hanging over his shoulder shattered all of his preconceptions.

"Mr. Osbourne, this is Jacob Carter and Selmak." Hammond introduced them.

"Call me Oz. So, shall we get this show on the road?" Oz grinned as he stood before the Stargate. Even from a distance, he could feel the age and complexity of the machine spirit it possessed, and he couldn't help himself but utter the required prayers as walked through it for the first time.

"I hope you bring good news, Jacob?" Hammond greeted his old friend several weeks later.

"The plan was a complete success. The virus was uploaded into one of Sokar's ships. From there, it spread throughout the fleet and wrought havoc on all critical systems. Meanwhile, we got the System Lords to band together and attack Sokar. It was a brutal battle, but Sokar's fleet was all but annihilated, and while he did manage to survive, he is no longer the threat he once was. Several System Lords have also lost significant assets, and we expect a lot of infighting in the coming months. In short, things are back the way they were, and hopefully, they'll stay that way for a while." Jacob concluded.

"That's certainly the best news I've heard all week." Hammond grinned as the two of them went to tell the rest of the base the good news.

AN: I expect some of you will not be pleased with how easy things went in this chapter, rest assured that before this story is done, both sides will experience hardships that will test them in every possible way, and there will be plenty of deaths in the good guy camp as well. Until next time, enjoy the show.


	13. Chapter 13

**Alright, a new chapter done and we are slowly working towards the action. I hope you will enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I would also like to address a question that some reviewers brought up. Why didn't Willow retain her implants? There is indeed a very good answer to this question, but the reasons for it will not be answered until I reveal WHY they retained their changes in the first place. With that, all that is left is to say read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 13**

Life calmed down a bit after the latest bout of excitement, and Buffy felt that it was time to focus more on the Mayor's plot. Despite the fact that they were aware that the man intended to do something big, he had proven himself very capable of keeping his movements hidden with careful use of misdirection. It appeared he had been gathering books and artifacts, and even though they had intercepted several teams, they could not be certain that they had disrupted the man's plans.

Furthermore, she could not simply invade his mind and learn the Mayor's plan that way as the man had apparently considered the possibility and had some sort of spell protecting his mind.

"How are things going?" Faith walked in. Despite the fact that Faith was originally a bit intimidated by Buffy, once they got to know each other better, the two girls had grown to be friends.

"This whole business with the Mayor is driving me crazy. While there are many possible options on what he's planning, it all boils down to one question. Is he working for himself, or for a higher power?" Buffy sighed.

"What's the difference?" Faith frowned. Magic was not something she was comfortable with.

"If he's working for himself, then we need to kill him straight away, before he can complete whatever it is he's planning. However, if he's an agent of some demon from another dimension, then it is most likely that his life is the final component of the spell, and incomplete or not, killing him could still activate it, and a spell that powerful, even if it's incomplete is bad news for us. Both our mages as well as the Watcher's council has given me a number of spells and rituals supporting both sides considering our limited information on the subject." Buffy sighed.

"I guess we're stuck waiting then. Well, I know what will cheer you up. How about we go to the Bronze tonight? Scare the novices a bit?" Faith grinned. A much coveted reward among the Battle Sister novices were the five passes into town given twice a week to those who had shown exceptional dedication to their training as well as proper piety.

"It might be fun. I'm surprised at how quickly they managed to get through the basic training." Buffy commented.

"They may not be Slayers, but they still got a bit of an edge." Faith shrugged.

"Once they complete the training and we equip them, things will finally change around here. For the first time, we may even go on the offensive. Then we'll see how the demons like it when we show up in THEIR worlds and start killing indiscriminately." Buffy smirked, and even Faith found the mental image pleasing.

* * *

"Pardon the interruption, milady, but there's something you need to see." One of the novices rushed in.

"What is it, Stacy?" Buffy stood up.

"Well ma'am, a few minutes ago, Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson arrived here. I was surprised since I was not told to expect them, but they had the proper codes so I let them inside and had Jenny escort them to the briefing room. She told me they had met Dr. Lee there and had struck a conversation. Ten minutes later, Major Carter showed up, and she was very surprised to learn her teammates were here. Then, she insisted that she speak with you, so I had her escorted to a different part of the building." The girl began.

"I don't like the sound of that." Buffy frowned.

"There's one more thing, ma'am. I also told Jenny to pick up an auspex scanner and discreetly check them all. The Major was clean, but the other two..." The girl raised the device, and Buffy saw what the girl meant. The scanner could sense a very wide sensing spectrum, and there was something about the two men that raised alarm bells.

"Buffy, we need to talk." Giles rushed in.

"Can it wait, we have a bit of an emergency here." Buffy sighed.

"This is very important. We have determined that the Sisterhood of Jhe intends to open the Hellmouth. Word on the street is that they've begun to arrive by the dozen." Giles exclaimed.

"When it rains it pours." Faith commented as Buffy groaned in dismay.

"Alright. Faith, gather the novices, have them armed and organize patrols. Make sure that all entrances into the high school are guarded. I don't want this Sisterhood within a hundred feet of the library." Buffy snapped.

"Mistress, may I ask what this Sisterhood of Jhe is?" Stacy asked as she and Faith walked away.

"You'll be briefed along with the others, Stacy. Go and tell everyone to gather in the monastery briefing room." Faith ordered her subordinate and went to find one of the mages so she would be able to explain what the situation was without looking incompetent in front of her subordinates.

"I take it this comes at a bad time." Giles noticed that Buffy seemed far less energetic than usual.

"After the blow we dealt to the System Lords, I was hoping for a little good luck for us as well. I guess it was too much to ask."

"Well, on the bright side, you'll get to kill a whole bunch of evil demons." Giles tried to cheer her up.

"What would I do without you, Giles?" Buffy smiled at her Watcher. "Well, I better see what trouble SG-1 got themselves into this time. We'll talk about our demonic troubles later."

* * *

Buffy made a quick stop at Xander's quarters, where her friend was busy writing down a prayer and hymnal book as well as writing down the Codex Astartes which his Halloween guest had committed to memory.

"Buffy, what brings you here?" Xander did not even look up from the massive book he was writing in as the door opened. Despite the fact that he seemed absent, Buffy noticed with approval that both his Crozius and a loaded bolter were in easy reach.

"It seems SG-1 and possibly the SGC got into some sort of trouble. I could use some backup when I talk to them." Buffy said with a shrug.

"It's not like you need it. But why not. Perhaps I'll even get the chance to kill some xeno." Xander stood up. He did not wear his armor, but even without it, he was an intimidating sight.

"Colonel O'Neill, I apologize for keeping you waiting so long. May I ask what brings you to Sunnydale?" Buffy greeted the two men, while inwardly, the sense that something was wrong with the two only increased. She didn't dare extend more than the faintest psychic probe, but even that gave her a feeling that the two persons before her were not who they appeared to be.

"It's Carter, actually. There was a tetrachloroethylene spill at the SGC, and she along with ourselves were accidentally exposed. I'm afraid it has caused her to hallucinate. Before she could be treated, she ran out of the hospital, injuring several people in the process. The Pentagon has helped us organize a discreet search, and we found out she boarded a plane for Sunnydale. We hoped that we would be able to retrieve her before she harms herself or others." O'Neill replied.

"I see. Major Carter had in fact arrived just after you did, but I haven't had the chance to speak with her yet. If she indeed a danger to herself and others, it is best that she remains locked while I talk with general Hammond." Buffy went to the secure phone which was one of several in their complex and called the SGC.

The general was quick to assure her that the dangerous chemical spill was taken care of and that Major Carter was the only one that had not been treated yet.

"Yes general, I understand perfectly. This incident would certainly tarnish the Major's good name, and we can't allow that. While I'm afraid I can't spare any personnel to aid the Colonel in escorting her back, I am certain that Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson can take care of any trouble that may arise. Have a nice day as well." Buffy hung up.

"Gentlemen, this way." Buffy opened the door and escorted them out, while Xander walked just behind the pair.

* * *

"Miss Summers, I need to talk..." Major Carter froze when she saw her other two teammates behind Buffy.

"I know. Xander." Before the two men could react, a pair of Space Marine fists slammed into the back of their heads and knocked them out.

"You knew they were aliens?" Carter exclaimed.

"We knew they weren't who they said they were. That's enough for me. Help me examine them." A quick search revealed two small discs on their chests, which when removed caused the bodies of the two unconscious men to two alien figures. Their body was formed of a reddish exo-skeleton with a helmet-like head.

"Xeno filth. They dare set foot on Holly Terra?" Xander was livid at such a transgression.

"Get these things to Willow. I want them analyzed within the hour. Then bring our two guests to the barracks and have the Sisters use them for shooting practice. Major, please follow me. I take it that these creatures have taken over the SGC?" Buffy turned to the major, who nodded in confirmation.

"For some reason, they were unable to duplicate me or Teal'c, most likely due to our altered physiology. Teal'c managed to overpower them and he helped me escape, but he was captured in the process." Carted explained.

"We cannot allow such a vital installation to remain under alien control." Buffy began as they entered the briefing room. She tapped a few controls on one end of the desk and a holographic representation of the entire Cheyenne mountain complex appeared floating above the large table.

"How did you get those plans?" Carter frowned, as the plans before here were deemed highly classified.

"Willow had access to your systems. She copied a lot more than personnel files. Unfortunately, I can't give you a lot of troops, as they are needed here to deal with an impending demonic threat." Buffy sighed.

"I'll go with her, and we do have two sets of armor. We can iron out the kinks on the way back and it will be good practice for the novices." Xander had walked in at that moment and added his opinion.

"It would be good practice, but let's not forget they have a full arsenal of Imperial weaponry." Buffy growled. The thought of aliens wielding their holy weapons against them was something she could not accept.

"Actually, the Imperial tech is reserved for off-world missions, so if we move quickly, we can cut them off before they use it to arm themselves." Carter added.

"Alright. This is the plan, then. Major, you will take one Sister with you and enter through this access point and move in to level 23 to secure the SGC personnel held prisoner in the area." Since Carter had told them that this part of the base was an area the aliens had quarantined, it was deemed the most likely spot to look for the duplicated people.

"The second Sister will enter through this access point and move to secure the armory containing the Imperial weapons." Buffy continued.

"And Xander?" Carter felt infinitely better about their odds every time she looked at the heavily armored super human.

"Xander will move to the top of the silo containing the Stargate, and when the signal is given, he will use melta charges to blow a hole through, then use jump jets to land into the gate room and cut off the enemy's retreat route." Buffy grinned evilly. They would give the aliens no quarter, for they deserved none.

"We have jump jets for my armor?" Xander frowned.

"No. Willow is going to use the one for our half-complete set of Seraphim armor. It won't let you lift off, but it will slow your descent. I'll also contact any demon hunter groups within reach of the SGC and ask them to offer you aid." Buffy replied.

* * *

It took nearly an hour to get ready, as the two Sisters selected had to be rushed through the training for using power armor, and for Willow to figure out a way to disrupt the aliens' mimic devices.

"Certain sonic frequencies disrupt the devices. I have added a speaker to their armor that will play various hymns along with an incorporated supersonic sound that will disrupt the devices." Willow informed Major Carter as they were overseeing the final preparations for the battle.

The two Sisters were putting on the final pieces of the armor as Xander put on his helmet. A servitor walked up to each of them, carrying a purity seal in their hand.

Xander began a prayer, with him reciting one line, and the Sisters continuing the chant. To the side, Major Carter, clad in carapace armor and armed with two bolt pistols also muttered a few of the lines.

"Look to your battle gear and it will protect you."

"We guard it with our lives."

"Your armor is your soul and your soul's dedication its armor."

"The soul of a warrior is the shield of humanity."

"Honor the craft of death."

"Only the Emperor is higher in our devotion."

"Honor the battle gear of the dead."

"We ask only to serve."

With the prayer done and the purity seals affixed, it was time to depart. A truck would take them to the airport, where a freight airplane was standing by to get them to Colorado as soon as possible.

Buffy had already sent word to the two hunter groups nearest to the SGC and they had replied that they would be ready to assist her forces when the time came. Buffy had also sent them the prearranged radio frequencies so they would be able to communicate with Xander's group.

* * *

"All teams, report." Xander activated his vox unit as he observed the silo cover a few hundred feet from him. It was in a relatively open area, and several guards patrolled the area. His scanners and senses also told him that these guards were not aliens, so killing them was not an option.

"Mary here. I am in position." The first Sister responded.

"Andrea reporting. We are in position as well." The other team replied as well.

"Tom, Mathew, come in." Xander called the two hunter groups near the mountain. Between them, they had around forty armed men. Normally, that would be far too few to take on a heavily defended installation like the SGC, but with Xander's group, along with the remaining humans in the SGC causing havoc, it was possible.

"We're here." The hunter leaders responded as well.

"Hold your positions until I give you the signal. We want to minimize casualties so avoid detection until then." Xander informed them. A lot relied on Mary's ability to storm through the base and secure the Imperial arsenal. If the aliens managed to arm themselves with the heavy stuff like the two meltas, it would be a hard battle for them.

"Alright. Mary, Andrea, move in." Xander ordered and began to move towards the silo cover. He opened his mind to the Warp and used his ability to knock out the few guards in the vicinity and he began to place the melta charges on top of the large concrete slab.

"Mary here. I was detected as I moved through and the alarm has been raised, but I managed to reach and seal the armory." The girl called in a few minutes later.

"Good job. Activate your hailers and proceed to sweep the base. I am ready to enter as well." Xander grinned and stepped back to a safe distance. The melta bombs released a blinding flash, and when Xander turned his head back to the silo cover, a hole big enough for him was now present, the edges still glowing from the heat.

Without ceremony, he jumped in, relying on the jury-rigged jumpjet to slow his descent and activated his hailer.

The sudden ray of sunshine that descended on the gate room was darkened quickly and as loud music filled the room, a large black figure suddenly slammed into the floor amongst the half dozen stunned aliens.

Xander gave them no time to react as he brought his weapons to bear and smashed his Crozius onto the head of the nearest xeno and tore it in two. At the same time, his other hand leveled the mini incinerator on his other side and began spewing a stream of super hot prometheum.

"Enemies of humanity, the Emperor's judgment is upon you. Your sentence is death." Xander's voice boomed over the music blaring from the speaker on his shoulder as he continued to tear through the aliens in the gate room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Carter and Andrea managed to reach the room with the prisoners, which was a large store room where the captured humans hung unconscious from the ceiling.

"We need to get them down. Help me out." Carter rushed forward and tried to get General Hammond from his harness. As the two women worked on freeing him, they heard two thuds behind them. They turned immediately, leveling their weapons at Colonel O'Neill and Daniel.

"Sir, you're awake?" Carter frowned.

"Yeah, we woke up hours ago, we just sat around waiting for a chance. Who's your friend?" O'Neill was surprised and quite impressed at the heavily armored woman behind Carter. The large bolter in her hands was also a most welcome sight.

"This is Andrea, a member of the Order of Our Valiant Sister. Our friends in Sunnydale have no concept of overkill apparently." Carter grinned.

"Well, I for one am glad for it. Alright Carter, you and your friend move out. We'll keep an eye on the folks here." O'Neill ordered. Carter nodded and tossed him one of her bolt pistols.

* * *

It turned out that the decision to seal the Imperial arsenal quickly was a most wise one, as the aliens had only a handful of lasguns outside of it, and against power armor, those weapons were far too weak. Mary powered through the weapons fire without slowing her stride, acompanied by the sound of holy hymns and the bark of her bolter.

As she passed an intersection, two aliens tried to rush her from one of the side corridors. Despite the weight of the armor, Mary managed to maneuver quickly and fired a burst from her bolter that brought the first alien down, but the other managed to slam into her and push her back. As she pushed it back with her right arm, she reached to her belt with her left and drew her combat knife and rammed it into its chest.

At the same time, Xander had moved out of the gate room but not before he used his incinerator to fuse the two gates of the room to the frames, ensuring that the gate room was out of reach. With that done, he moved towards the control room.

He was greeted by a group of aliens just standing there, while the small device on the chest of one of them was flashing in regular intervals.

"Your death will not come on your terms, xeno." Xander laughed and with a single wave of his hand the device was torn away from the alien leader. "Only when you have realized the true folly of invading Holy Terra will you meet death."

Once their leader was captured, the rest were quickly rounded up, and one by one executed.

The hunter teams proved themselves useful as well as they and the human guards hunted down the few aliens outside the base.

* * *

"It seems we are in your debt. I want to thank you for saving my men as well as myself." General Hammond had personally thanked Xander's team for their aid, and had even provided the hunters with a number of weapons as thanks for their aid.

The threat in Sunnydale had also been taken care of quickly. With Sisters patrolling the streets as well as guarding all entrances in the high school, the Sisterhood of Jhe never even reached the library, and the Sisters got some very valuable combat experience.

An interesting sub note in the whole event was one squad's encounter with reanimated humans that tried to force their way in the school while carrying components for a bomb. Once the squad realized what they were, they were promptly shot down and burned.

* * *

With that done, Buffy had decided to advance certain agendas and had made several calls to Washington to ensure that she would be given the necessary clearance.

"Are you sure you want to talk with him alone? Kemp is a monster." The prison guard was surprised that the tiny blond wanted to speak with Martin Kemp in private. The serial killer was a solid mountain of muscle and he was certain he could snap the girl in half without effort.

"I can take care of myself. Now, open the door." Buffy said impatiently. She knew how dangerous the man was. That was why she wanted him in the first place.

"So, what are you? Another psychologist trying to understand the 'monster'?" Martin Kemp was a massive Caucasian with a a buzz cut and several scars adorning his face, with his mouth locked in a perpetual smirk. Several tattoos adorned his body, showing various blasphemous images.

"Nothing of the sort. I am here to offer you a job." Buffy grinned as she sat down across the physically imposing man.

"In case you've forgotten little girl, I'm on death row." Kemp pointed out.

"I am not without influence. Your sentence can be altered. In fact, I have a transport ready to take you away. You just have to accept my offer."

"And what exactly is this job you're offering?" Kemp's face slid into a slightly confused frown. After killing fourteen people in a rather brutal fashion, he was certain that he would receive the needle any day now.

"I won't go into details here, but it is something only a man of your particular talents can do." Buffy grinned.

"Talents? I thought I was nothing more than a mindless killer." Kemp laughed coldly.

"Precisely, Mr. Kemp. That is exactly what I want you for. To kill for me in a most brutal and unsubtle way. To make my enemies shudder at the thought of crossing me if it means I would send you against them." Buffy's face and tone was deathly serious as she said that.

"I get to kill a lot of people then?" Kemp asked after a few minutes.

"Quite a lot." Buffy nodded.

"Where do I sign then?" Kemp grinned evilly.

"Your verbal acceptance is enough for me. Like I said, I have men ready to transport you to my facility. I will ask you not to try to escape, as they will not be gentle with you." Buffy stood up and walked out the door.

The ride to Sunnydale passed without incident, and a few hours later, Kemp walked out of the van to see he was now in some sort of industrial complex.

"Mr. Kemp, let me be the first to welcome you to the Eversor temple." Buffy gestured to a door.


	14. Chapter 14

**Alright, some of my future plans are revealed, and I hope they will be met with approval. To answer a few questions, Mr. Kemp is an OC, basically just a random psycho that caught Buffy's attention. To jimk, it is shown in the episode where Anubis tries to blow up the Stargate that the gate room is at the bottom of a missile silo that goes straight to the surface. On the subject of the Ted based servitors, servitors are not AI, merely robots programed to perform a set task. They have no capacity for learning or improving, which is the condition for a machine to be considered an AI.  
**

**Chapter 14**

After the conflict with the now greatly diminished, if not extinct Sisterhood of Jhe, Buffy and the others had decided that giving the Battle Sisters novices field experience was a good idea and squads of the girls now accompanied Buffy and the others out on patrol.

Of course, the girls did most of the fighting; with their supervisors only stepping in if things got too dangerous, which thanks to the regular patrols rarely amounted to more than a few random vampires.

As Buffy walked idly through the cemetery, flanked on both sides by a pair of Sisters, she was busy thinking about her biggest source of headaches, namely the Mayor. So she was a bit surprised when a group of vampires armed with swords ambushed them.

One Sister was stabbed in the left shoulder, but the girl still managed to react quickly enough to make the vampire miss her heart.

The initial surprise gone, the vampires quickly turned to dust thanks to the four bolt pistols brought to bear against them.

"You alright, Sarah?" Buffy approached the injured girl.

"Yes, Milady. It is only a minor wound." The girl's tone was firm and brave, despite her paling face.

"You reacted well. Now, hold still." Buffy took the sword still stuck in her shoulder by the handle and pulled it out quickly.

"Have her bandaged and take her back to the complex. Kate, take the swords as well and bring them to Giles. I'll finish tonight's patrol." Buffy ordered.

* * *

"So, what can you tell me about the vamps that attacked us tonight? They didn't look local." Buffy met with Giles once her patrol was over.

"No, they're not. From the swords, I've concluded that they're the El Eliminati, a medieval vampire dueling cult. Constant duels and increased anti-vampire activity in Europe reduced their numbers and they entered the service of a demon called Balthazar who led them to the New World. However, they were considered extinct." Giles explained.

"Oh, they will be soon enough. And their master?" Buffy smirked.

"Well, if the cult is still alive, then it goes to reason Balthazar is alive as well. I will see what I can dig up on the subject." Giles replied.

"Alright. We'll intensify our patrols and see if we can't find where they've holed up. Once we…" Buffy was interrupted by the phone ringing.

"Summers… Yes, that's right, general… No, no trouble at all. We'll depart immediately."

"Trouble in Colorado again?" Giles asked curiously. The SGC certainly had a habit of getting in trouble about as much as they did.

"No trouble, just something I wanted to be alerted to. Almost two years ago, they encountered a human civilization calling themselves the Tollan, and they are one of the, if not the most advanced human world in this galaxy. I asked that if contact was established with them again, that we be informed." Buffy explained.

"Why do you want to meet with them for?" Giles was a bit confused. While he was aware of a great deal of Buffy's plans, it seemed that he did not know everything.

"A long term plan that should take care of the Goa'uld threat once and for all. I plan on meeting a few other planets the SGC have established contact with other than the Tollan, so I might be away for a week or so, along with Willow." Buffy said cryptically.

"What about school?" Giles asked. While it was hardly necessary as they had enough funds to cover their basic needs along with funding their combat efforts, and education far above what was taught on Earth, they still went to high school mostly to maintain their cover. It was inconvenient, but it also gave them a sense of normalcy.

"I'm afraid this is far more important. I'll talk to mom before I leave. Between you two, I have no doubt you'll be able to cover for us." Buffy shrugged.

"You do know we're about to receive sixty more novices from the Council, right?" Giles asked. That would bring the number of Battle Sisters to a hundred, which was an impressive number once they were fully trained and equipped.

"Faith can take care of that. She is the Order's Canoness, after all." Buffy shrugged.

* * *

The trip to the SGC went quickly enough, and the two girls were quickly led down into the mountain.

Once they entered the briefing room, General Hammond took a moment to examine the two girls. Buffy was dressed similarly to a Commissar, only instead of the greatcoat, she wore a gold trimmed red cape with the symbol of the Inquisition. The Aquila was also displayed prominently on her special carapace armor. Her usually loose hair was gathered in a ponytail. On her belt hung her sword and her trusty bolt pistol.

Willow had also changed since the last time he saw her. Her robe was now red, and a third mechadendrite had joined the two she already had. The circlet around her head had grown in both size and complexity, as evidenced by the wider surface that completely covered the top and back of her head, now resembling a helmet more than a circlet. She also wore strange gloves that looked to be riddled with circuitry. On her belt hung a las pistol, while in her right hand she held a staff that was decorated with the symbol of the Machine God and held within it a number of tools.

"It is good to see you again, General. Are we clear to depart?" Buffy went straight to business.

"Yes. SG-1 is already expecting you on the other side. May I ask why you want to talk to the Tollan? They have refused to aid us in the past. Not that I blame them considering our past behavior." The General remembered bitterly what certain members of the Pentagon had in mind with the Tollan they had rescued two years ago despite his protests.

"Please, sit down." Buffy took a seat on the table, and Willow and the General followed.

"The fact is, if we want to win against the Goa'uld, we need ships, and the best way to build them is in orbit. Since we can't build a shipyard here, we must seek other locations. The Tollan home world is not only secure, but they have the technology to construct them faster than anyone else. An advantage for us is that if you know how, Imperial ships are relatively simple to construct. Certain components will need to be produced in our complex, of course, but that won't slow down the production." Buffy surprised the man. It was certainly ambitious.

"How would these ships rate against Goa'uld ships?" Hammond asked.

"We plan to begin with a frigate class. Based on the data you have provided, Goa'uld Ha'tak would be a threat only in greater numbers." Buffy shrugged.

"The void shields would be able to endure a prolonged bombardment by a dozen Ha'tak for ten to fifteen minutes based on certain variables. The ship's offensive capabilities are even more formidable. We estimate a single broadside is capable of destroying a Ha'tak." Willow added.

"We are talking about a frigate, right?" Hammond whistled.

"Yes. We have several classes in mind that are much larger and more powerful. Our only issue is the hyperdrive engines that are meant to replace the Warp engines. We will need to discuss the topic with the Tollan and the Tok'ra." Buffy replied.

"Well, I think we kept SG-1 waiting long enough." General Hammond stood up and escorted them down to the Gate room. The Stargate was already dialing by the time they got down.

* * *

"Welcome to Tollana." Carter and Teal'c were waiting for them on the other side along with a Tollan.

"Narim let me introduce Lady Inquisitor Elizabeth Summers and…"

"Magos Willow Rosenberg. Nice to meet you." Willow cut in.

"You're a Magos now?" Carter asked curiously.

"The group decided as a whole that my position, skills and knowledge merited a promotion. I still say I should be condemned as a heretek instead of being promoted." Willow shrugged. The constant alteration and adaptation of Imperial technology was not something she was comfortable with even if she understood the necessity for it.

"Oh, this is Narim. He was one of the Tollan we rescued two years ago." Carter finished the introductions feeling a bit embarrassed about the unexpected interruption.

"This way, please." Narim gestured towards one of the buildings.

"You've upgraded your equipment I see." Carter commented to Willow as they walked.

"Yes. I have expanded the capacity of my mind-impulse unit and added several neural wafers. I also designed these gloves as a replacement for electoo implants, and the collar is a special device allowing me to broadcast in lingua-technis." Willow replied calmly.

"Have the others received implants as well?" Carter continued her questioning.

"They have received the blessings of the Machine God they are capable of utilizing." Willow replied.

At the same time, Buffy was talking to Teal'c about the situation that brought them to Tollana in the first place.

"You believe the Goa'uld have ulterior motives in this matter?" Buffy asked him.

"I do, however the Tollan insist that we do not interfere." It didn't take a genius to notice the disapproval in the man's voice.

"When dealing with the xeno, be ever vigilant for duplicity. I daresay it is something the Tollan should take to heart." Buffy commented.

"By your definition, that also includes you." Narim commented, which caused Buffy to stop.

"Tell me, are you human?" Buffy's eyes seemed to bore right into his as she spoke.

"Yes." Narim replied after a few moments.

"And are we human?" Buffy asked again.

"Yes." The Tollan had begun to wonder if he was about to be attacked by the dangerous looking young woman.

"Where we live is irrelevant. We are all children of Holy Terra." Buffy grinned and resumed walking.

* * *

The pair was led to a separate room, and Buffy nodded with approval when she saw one of the walls decorated with the Imperial Aquila. About half an hour later, they were called before the Tollan Curia, which was the ruling body of the planet.

"On behalf of the Imperium of Man and the immortal God-Emperor, I thank the Curia for this meeting." Buffy began as she stood before the Curia members.

"We are honored to meet with you as well. May I ask where your Imperium is located? SG-1 was unclear on the matter." One member asked.

"The Imperium's location is sadly beyond our reach. Our arrival here was by accident, and we have no way to return. Despite this, we remain true to our holy mission. Ensuring the survival and dominance of humanity." Buffy replied calmly.

"You have requested this meeting to discuss a matter of great importance. Shall we proceed?" High Chancellor Travell cut off any further questions.

"Thank you, High Chancellor. Considering the recent battle in your system, I don't have to remind you of the constant threat of the Goa'uld. We all know of the atrocities they commit daily on countless humans across the galaxy. I know I am new to this galaxy, but that is not something I can let continue, not when I have the power to stop it. But we cannot do it alone. We ask that you help us end the tyranny of the Goa'uld once and for all." Buffy began, eliciting murmurs from the Curia.

"While your sentiment is commendable, our laws clearly state we do not share technology with less advanced races." Travell said calmly.

"Less advanced? The Imperium had ruled a million worlds before your ancestors even left Holy Terra. You should be lucky we are even considering sharing our MORE advanced technology with you." Buffy snapped.

"We do not require your technology, merely your expertise. To combat the Goa'uld, we need ships, and we ask your permission and aid to construct them here in orbit around Tollana. We plan to discuss the matter with several other free human worlds that will provide raw materials and labor." Willow joined in.

"Such a facility could draw the combined might of the System Lords. It is a great risk." Travell countered.

"But it is a risk worth taking. Even a few of the ships we plan to construct will shift the balance greatly in our favor. With the recent losses the System Lords suffered battling Sokar this is the perfect time to strengthen ourselves before they recover." Buffy pressed on and gestured for Willow to step forward.

Willow pulled a holo-projector from her robe and put it on the ground. A large projection of an Imperial frigate appeared floating and spinning in the middle of the room. It was based on the Sword frigate, but modified to accommodate the current situation they were facing.

"This is what we propose we begin constructing. The ship's specifications are also listed." Buffy waited a while as the Curia examined the designs presented to them.

"A most impressive battleship, but I am not sure that even we would be able to construct it." It took over five minutes for Travell to admit they were faced with technology beyond their ability to reproduce.

"We will provide the most complex components. The rest is fairly simple once we've taught you how. Oh, and this design is only a frigate. This is a battleship." With that, the image changed to the design of a Retribution class battleship.

This time, the image drew several gasps from various members. To even imagine such a massive and heavily armed behemoth was something beyond them.

"I hope you're not proposing we build something like that as well?" Travell asked once the shock wore off.

"Not unless we truly required it. The frigates should be more than enough, and we might consider adding a few cruisers in the future, but that should be enough." Buffy shrugged.

"May I ask why you would need such a vessel in the first place?" One Curia member finally asked the question they all wanted to ask.

"Our home galaxy is far less pleasant than this one. We are facing enemies that that make the Goa'uld seem friendly and pleasant, and we have been forced to develop weaponry that matches theirs." Buffy replied.

"We require time to discuss your proposal, and we must also conclude with the Triad." Travell brought an end to the meeting.

"I thank you for your time. I would like to return back to Terra. I have several other worlds to visit and I must also determine the best alternate locations for a shipyard should you decide to refuse our proposal, but Magos Rosenberg will remain in my stead." Buffy informed them.

* * *

The next couple of days were busy for Buffy as she visited several worlds the SGC had contact with and tried to enlist their aid in the construction project. Already, several worlds had pledged raw materials, and the few more advanced planets had offered a number of workers and use of their manufacturing facilities.

As she was preparing to move on to the next destination on her list, SG-1 returned from Tollana with a grinning Skaara but without Willow.

"I take it you won the Triad?" Buffy noted that Skaara didn't have the device on his chest that separated his mind from Klorel.

"Yeah, but the Goa'uld are real sore losers. They attacked Tollana and managed to destroy all the ion cannons in one strike. If it wasn't for Teal'c, they would have been done for. The sneaky bastard got Lya to hide one of the cannons." O'Neill commented.

"Where is Willow?" Buffy considered this new development carefully. This attack could be useful to her agenda.

"She stayed behind to help with reconstruction. The Curia has also informed us that they would like to meet you again at your earliest convenience." Carter replied.

"I'll head on over straight away. With your permission, General?" Buffy turned to the control room. Hammond only gave her a nod and the gate began spinning.

* * *

"I trust you have given my proposal careful consideration?" Buffy stood once more before the Curia, only this time, the air of arrogance that saturated the room the last time was not present. It seemed the recent attack had a greater impact than she expected.

"Yes. Our initial decision was to decline your offer, but the recent attack has shown us that the Goa'uld are growing to be a much bigger threat than before. Therefore, we agree to construct warships for joint use against the Goa'uld." Travell replied.

"Excellent. We estimate it will take at least several months to construct the shipyard and the supporting infrastructure?" Buffy asked.

"Yes. We will begin as soon as we are able. You have secured the aid of other worlds as well?" Travell asked.

"Several worlds have already pledged their aid, offering raw materials, laborers, use of their factories or all of the above, and I plan on contacting a few more. I expect we will have no problem gathering the necessary materials. While the shipyard is being built, I will ask that you dispatch several men to Terra so that they can be educated on how to construct these vessels." Buffy answered.

"One last thing. Under whose authority will these ships fall?" One of the Curia members asked.

"The Imperium would have complete authority in combat situations, however we will not instigate offensive actions without approval from a supervisory council unless an emergency demanding rapid response occurs." Buffy replied.

"That is acceptable. We will select suitable candidates and dispatch them to Earth within the next few days." Travell concluded the meeting.

While Willow remained on Tollana for a few more days to go over certain topics with the Tollan, Buffy concluded her tour of the allied planets and secured as much aid as she could. While most of these worlds were still what she would consider feral worlds, if given the proper equipment they could provide more than enough raw materials to build their ships.

Their mission complete, the two girls returned to Sunnydale in high spirits; however the news that awaited them was not good.

* * *

"So, you caught the Deputy Mayor when you went after Balthazar?" Buffy frowned. It seemed a bit unlikely for the man to be in the area.

"Yes. I'm not sure why exactly he was there that night, and after Xander and I broke through the enchantments that the Mayor had placed on him, he wasn't in a state for lengthy conversations. We were lucky to get as much as we did before he died." Giles paused for a moment. "The Mayor plans to Ascend to daemonhood, and has already performed a ritual that makes him invincible. We're now trying to determine what he plans of Ascending into and once we do how to kill him. The good news is that we have until graduation day. There's an eclipse on that day that is the final event in the Ascension ritual."

"So, we're talking about a Greater Daemon?" Buffy frowned.

"Any of the Old Ones are bad news for us. To even survive a battle with them is a daunting task." Giles sighed.

"I doubt he would be at full power immediately, so that gives us a chance, however slim it may be. We must prepare. Faith, step up the training for the Sisters. We will need them in that battle. Willow, I want as many sets of power armor as you can make. Make sure to rotate the Sisters through the sets we have already so they get the proper experience." Buffy ordered.

"Well, Kendra will be complete in about a month, so we'll be able to focus more on producing the armor. However, we'll also need weapons and ammo and a ton of other things. We'll do our best but I can't promise miracles." Willow groaned internally as she considered how much work was ahead of her. Add to that the necessity to educate the Tollan and the engineers from other worlds on Imperial ship construction, and her headache simply doubled.

"When the time comes, this vile sorcerer will not find us wanting. Dismissed." Buffy let her friends disperse before she collapsed in her chair. It seemed that she always had to have bad news with the good.


	15. Chapter 15

**I certainly hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I was forced to compact a few episodes in this one, since with Faith on the good side, there was little material I could use. I expect the big fight with the Mayor will happen in the chapter after the next one, so expect a massive fight scene. I also have something special in mind for the SG-1 season finale as well. Also, I hope you'll approve on what was revealed in the end of the chapter. So, read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 15**

The revelation that they were likely to face a Greater Daemon in a scant few months seemed to have a varied effect on the entire complex. The magic users were nervous, knowing well the power of the Old Ones. Xander's sermons became increasingly zealous, firing up his flock to new levels of fanaticism, aided by Cordelia. As she saw little combat considering that patrols were used to give the novice Sisters some experience, she decided to aid the group by bolstering the group's faith. The techpriests began working to the brink of exhaustion, and Willow had made plans to further expand the factory and add three more plasma generators to the three she already had.

Faith had doubled the training regime for the Sisters, and every night the compound was filled with tired groans echoing from the barracks.

As for Buffy, she was busy trying to find a way to stop the Mayor's Ascension. She knew that even if he was close, until he actually changed, they still had a chance.

"How is he doing?" Buffy stared calmly at Martin Kemp as the man rested on an operating table while Dr. Novak injected him with various substances. The only other woman in the Mechanicus group showed a remarkable skill and interest in the organic sciences of the Cult Mechanicus and as such served as the group's Genetor and Biologist.

"His body is adapting well to the genetic treatments, and the preliminary drug treatments have shown no side-effects other than what is to be expected." The woman replied as she moved one of her mechadendrites to take a blood sample. Unlike Willow's, her attachments were all implanted.

"How soon before he's ready for active service?" Buffy asked. This time, the woman stopped her work to look at her.

"Not in time to fight the Mayor. It will take at least six months to complete the genetic treatments, and then we have to train and program him, not to mention construct a stasis chamber and all the equipment he will need." Dr. Novak replied.

"Well, I had to ask. Keep working on him, then. Just because we can't use him now doesn't mean we might not need him in the future." Buffy sighed.

"You plan on using him against the Goa'uld then?" Dr. Novak asked curiously. An Eversor would certainly send a strong message to the parasites.

"There are a few demon dimensions that could use a visit from our large friend as well. At least those that don't rate a full invasion by the Battle Sisters." Buffy grinned. Once the Order was at full force and completely equipped, things would certainly get interesting. In fact, she already had a couple of targets in mind, she just needed the troops to raid them.

* * *

"You guys, we shouldn't have done this. We'll get in serious trouble." A voice whispered in the dark barracks of the Battle Sisters. The barracks were a large, two storey building with a separate building attached to the side that served as the mess hall. To give the novices a feeling of comfort, the barracks were fitted with simple plywood dividers that grouped two bunk beds on either side of the floor. There were even doors and two simple desks inside to make the sleeping area more like a room. A long row of windows on both sides provided light and a view.

Now, four girls were quietly sneaking back into their room after they had left the compound for the night.

"Come on, Abby. No one knows we snuck out. Our room is by the door and I even figured out how to trick the factory sensors." Another girl scoffed as she turned on the small lamp so they could get in bed.

"So, did you girls have fun?" The quartet froze when the light revealed Faith was sitting on one of the beds.

"Ma'am, we…" The apparent leaded began, but Faith simply raised her hand and the girl fell silent.

"I hope you understand how much trouble you're all in. Now, get to bed. I'll deal with you four in the morning." With that, Faith walked out of the room.

"We're toast. They're gonna kill us." Abby began to panic.

"They're not going to kill us. Will they?" Another girl whispered.

"I don't know, Tsuki. I just don't know. Come on. Let's at least try and get some sleep." While it was a good idea, the fear of the upcoming punishment kept the four up for the rest of the night, their minds conjuring worse scenarios with every passing moment.

* * *

The next morning, the Sisters were surprised when Faith ordered a full assembly in the main courtyard instead of simply dividing the daily training schedules, so they guessed it was something big.

"Sisters, I stand before you today with grave news concerning our Order. Last night, four novices decided to ignore the rules you all swore to follow and left the compound for an evening of fun in the city." Faith began. The shock of the news sent a wave of unease through the hundred or so gathered girls.

"I will ask them now to step forward." As the four hesitantly walked forward, they were shocked by the looks the other novices were giving them. There was no sympathy or support, only contempt and hatred in their eyes. Two novices even spat at their feet as they passed.

"Sisters, do not blame them. Yes, they broke the rules, but they are not at fault. I am." Faith said loudly, and everyone turned towards her with confused looks.

"Remember this saying. 'There are no bad soldiers, only bad commanders.' It is obvious I have failed to teach these four properly and as such, their punishment is mine to bear." Faith said firmly.

"Punishment?" One of the four managed to whisper.

"That's right, Lucy." Faith turned towards the large black girl that had become her room's leader.

"For breaking curfew you each get five lashes. For leaving the compound without permission, you get five more lashes." Faith said calmly.

"Forty lashes." Lucy's eyes were wide as saucers as she realized what Faith planned to endure.

"Don't do it milady. They are not worthy." One Sister shouted, earning murmurs of approval from the others.

"I would endure a hundred times that for any of you, and I know that each of you feels the same for your Sisters." Faith said firmly. "Let's begin then. Cordelia, do your duty."

The group watched as Faith moved towards the whipping post and Cordelia cracked the long whip in her hand a few times. As Commissar, she was responsible for administering punishments in the group, although so far she didn't have the need to exercise that part of her duties yet. Needless to say, she wasn't looking forward to this.

Just as Faith bared her back and moved to shackle her arms to the post, Lucy stepped forward.

"I am sorry milady, but I can't let you suffer for my shame. I was the one that convinced the others to join me, so I am the one that should get forty lashes, not you." The girl's tone was as hard as steel as she approached Faith and pulled her away from the post.

"I chose to follow on my own, so I should get an equal amount of punishment." Abby too stepped forward.

"Me too." Tsuki spoke up as well.

"I'll be damned if I let you all suffer. Count me in too." The last girl, Amber also stepped forward.

"So, you four finally understand what it means to be a Battle Sister." Faith smirked, shocking not only the quartet, but the other novices as well.

"This was a test?" Lucy exclaimed.

"Yes, and you all passed with flying colors. However, there is still the matter of your punishment. We'll forgo whipping this time, and assign you one month mess hall and cleanup duty." Faith laughed as the quartet groaned. It seemed her gambit had worked and she now had assured the loyalty of four of her subordinates, and also improved her image in the eyes of the other Sisters as well.

"So, you weren't going to let her whip you for real, were you milady?" Abby asked.

"If that is what it took to reach you, I would have endured all forty lashes without a second thought." Faith shocked them further.

"We are not worthy of such actions, milady, but I swear on the Golden Throne, we will be." Lucy said firmly, and her friends repeated the oath.

"Alright, everyone, check your schedules and get to training. Demons and aliens don't kill themselves." Faith barked and the novices dispersed. The quartet joined them, all hard feelings forgotten. After all, to err was human, just as it was human to forgive.

* * *

The weeks passed by in a frenzy of preparation and training, as well as lot of maneuvering by both sides. The Mayor was busy trying to maximize his chances for success and had begun gathering as many vampires and other lesser demons as he could and provided as much protection from Buffy's group as he could. Of course, he also had to sacrifice a certain percentage to ensure he got the artifacts he still needed to Ascend, and finding the right balance of recruiting and sacrificing minions was not easy.

A small distraction was the arrival of the Tollan and Orbanian experts to Sunnydale. While it would take at least a month or more to cover everything they needed to produce the necessary materials and how to assemble the ships, it was not a major disruption for the techpriests. The Tollan had also reported that they had focused a great deal of their efforts towards the orbital shipyard and were expecting to complete it weeks ahead of the preliminary schedule.

"So, you want a particle beam to get Jack back?" Buffy asked as she was contacted about the latest misadventure of SG-1.

"Yes. That's the only way we've come up to get back to Edora, and we thought that you'd be able to construct one faster than we could." Carter replied.

"It's not that complex. We can have a beam generator ready in less than a week." Willow informed her.

"We'll have one delivered in two weeks. Along with Kendra." Buffy grinned as she heard Carter gasp. "She's complete?"

"The Naquadah generators you have provided has helped us drastically increase our own power generation and with that, our production rates. There are still a few things to go over, but she's more or less fully operational." Buffy grinned.

* * *

General Hammond had decided to welcome his newest recruit properly, and had arranged all the SG teams in full dress uniforms next to the silo covering above the Stargate. Because of the size of the Dreadnought, they would have to lower her down the silo shaft like the Stargate. A room next to the Stargate was already prepared for Kendra's use.

A heavy transport truck rolled slowly towards the group, and from the occasional groan of its shocks, it was obvious it was badly overloaded.

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce Kendra Young." Dr. Felger pulled a rope and the tarp covering the back of the truck fell. A lot of eyes widened at the sight. Kendra's shell was made of black metal over fifteen feet tall. The legs were short and cylindrical, ending with four flat claws for added stability. The middle narrowed where the leg joints were, then expanded rapidly into the blocky torso. The torso had the faint shape of a neckless head with large, square shoulders. Her right hand was hanging almost to her toes, ending with four claw-like fingers arranged equally around the round forearm. On her left, instead of an arm rested a massive multi-barreled gun.

The Aquila stood prominently in gold on her chest, and her shoulders were adorned with the winged skull in silver. With speed and agility no one expected from such a bulky looking machine, she got off the truck and stopped before General Hammond and raised her right arm in an unmistakable salute.

"Kendra Young reporting for duty, sir." Her voice boomed from the external vox.

The General saluted back with a grin as he imagined what the Goa'uld would think of their latest trick. Already, the SG teams were inflicting heavy losses on the Goa'uld armies, and while the Jaffa losses were regrettable, their actions had strengthened the Jaffa rebellion as many had begun to question the Goa'uld's divinity.

"Let's get you down to the base, shall we?" A freight helicopter that was landed nearby lifted off and soon enough, Kendra was lowered down to the gate room and then walked into her new home.

"I take it you were impressed with Miss Young?" Dr. Felger was in the briefing room with the General as Dr. Angstrom was helping Kendra settle in.

"That I was. How would she rate in battle against Jaffa?" Hammond had a pretty good idea, but he had to ask.

"Staff weapons would cause only superficial damage. Even a staff cannon wouldn't do a lot of damage. Of course, sustained fire in a single area will destroy the armor, but she's not about to just stand there and let them shoot her. As for weaponry, her arms are modular, and we can equip her with a variety of weapons. For now, we only have the two she has on, but we will build more in the future. The power claw on her right can not only rip open a tank like it was made of paper, but it also has an integrated flamer.

As for the assault cannon on her left side, I'll just say that it is a large caliber weapon with a rate of fire of hundreds of rounds a second. It can also swivel up and down to allow her to target gliders and other flying targets." Felger replied smugly considering the general's awed face.

"I wouldn't want to go against her anytime soon. Tell me, what is the condition of the girl herself?" Hammond asked, and Felger's face instantly turned solemn.

"Not good, I'm afraid. Her body is badly injured. Outside her shell, she will die in minutes. A number of her vital organs are replaced with artificial ones along with ninety percent of her spine." Felger replied. "Even then, she refused to give in and die. She was determined to keep fighting. She has been an inspiration to us all. The Lady Inquisitor has also asked that in the unlikely event that she was destroyed, that the core tomb be recovered at any cost."

"Will she die if the machine is destroyed?" Hammond asked.

"The core tomb is very tough and it has an internal power source. It can easily withstand the destruction of the primary power core. Of course, it all depends on what destroyed her." Felger replied.

"Alright. I won't take any more of your time, then." With that, Hammond dismissed the man.

* * *

Several weeks had passed with little excitement, until one day Buffy was contacted with some important news. While surprising, she was not surprised at what the news were, and already her mind began working on ways to turn this situation to the benefit of her plans.

A few days later, General Hammond explained with some level of smugness to the detained group of men and women before him about their plan to expose and capture them. As it turned out, there was a clandestine group of agents from the NID along with supporters in the SGC that were operating in the galaxy stealing technology from every source they could, including the Tollan and the Asgard, which made said groups rather angry with Earth. Fortunately, General Hammond had come up with a plan, and with Colonel O'Neill who infiltrated the group had the guilty men finally in custody.

"So, I'm guessing they'll be going to jail for a long time." O'Neill said smugly at the fuming group before him.

"Actually, they're not." This surprised everyone in the room. "We're shipping them to Sunnydale. Inquisitor Summers was quite insistent that we deliver this group and Colonel Maybourne to her."

"What does she want with that slimy snake?" O'Neill frowned.

"She didn't say, but since they're one of our most valued allies, the President agreed to her request." Hammond replied.

"If we're lucky, she just wants some traitors to use for target practice." O'Neill said as the group was shipped off.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Sunnydale. I hope your trip was pleasant?" Buffy greeted the group once they had been dropped off.

"Let's cut the pleasantries. Why are we here?" Maybourne stepped forward. While he was grateful their intervention saved him from an impending prison sentence and execution as a traitor to the state, he wanted to know the alternative before he committed to anything.

"Is that any way to talk to the person that saved all your lives? But you're right. Let's get down to business." Buffy gestured to the table in the room.

"It is a simple fact that this world is under serious threat by hostile aliens. Allowing xenos to take control of Holy Terra is unacceptable. That is the only reason we have given such support to the SGC. As the first line of defense, they need the most support. However, we must also consider the billions of humans living out there. While we cannot and will not abandon them, we must prioritize or we will accomplish nothing." Buffy began.

"I still fail to see where we come into this." Mayborne commented.

"I'm getting to that. As you might be aware, aliens are not the sole threat to humanity, and that is where most of our attention has been. The constant demonic threat not only in this town but across the globe is something that must not be ignored. And the fact is, as an agent of the Ordo Malleus, I am better suited to combat said threats. To fight the Enemy Without, I need agents more suited to said task. And that is where you come in." Buffy saw the realization dawning in Maybourne's eyes.

"I want you to represent the interests of the God-Emperor and the Imperium of Man in this galaxy as an Inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos."


	16. Chapter 16

**Alright, this chapter should explain a lot of what Buffy's plans are and are a glimpse into things to come. I have also given a hint about why Willow doesn't have implants. The first four to guess right get to name one member of the Order's first Celestian Superior squad. So, all that's left is to say read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 16**

"When I was sent here, I expected a lot, but I have to say you managed to surprise me." Harry finally spoke after a few moments of silence.

"Quite understandable. I take it you're interested in my offer?" Buffy grinned.

"I doubt I'll get a better one anytime soon. So, what does my new job entail?" Harry asked.

"Follow me. Xander, show the rest of our guests to their new quarters." Buffy turned around and walked towards her office with Maybourne in tow.

* * *

"Would you care for a drink? I don't have much of a selection, but it's all top shelf stuff." Buffy pointed to a small cabinet to the side that had a few bottles and glasses on top of it.

"Thank you." Harry poured himself a glass of scotch and was pleased to see that it was indeed high quality stuff.

"Before I can give you the info on your new job, I do need to swear you in. So, do you swear to serve humanity and the God-Emperor with everything you possess, and to combat the alien, the mutant, the heretic and the demon wherever you may encounter them?" Buffy's whole manner turned serious and official in the blink of an eye.

"I swear it." Harry replied, knowing that breaking it would be VERY unpleasant for him.

"Then let me be the first to welcome you to His Most Holy Inquisition and the Ordo Xenos." Buffy opened a drawer on her desk and pulled an inquisitorial rosary, which was a beaded bracelet with the barred I with a skull in the middle.

"This is your symbol of office. Wear it on your person at all times. With it, you may assume command of any Imperial assets, be they a squad of troopers or whole fleets, provided you can justify the need to place them under your authority. It will also serve to identify you to any Imperial forces. It has a special beacon that can be picked up by our sensors and comm. equipment."

"So, what exactly do you have planned for me?" Harry asked once he put the rosary in his pocket.

"First, and this is the official mission known to all our allies, you are to be our eyes and ears in the galaxy. The Tok'ra have implied that such a role was unnecessary, but I disagree. The Tollan merely objected on my choice of agents." Buffy smirked.

"I take it you have other tasks that I am supposed to perform, then?" So far, Maybourne approved of his new job, as he agreed that the intel they had so far was insufficient.

"A great deal of them, in fact. Your role could be crucial in the defeat of the Goa'uld. Now, in order to allow you to perform your duties, you're going to assume the role of a minor Goa'uld working as a traveling merchant. And yes, you will be able to pass yourself as a Goa'uld so don't worry about that. This role will allow you to travel almost unimpeded to most Goa'uld controlled worlds and obtain valuable intelligence on their defenses." Buffy continued.

"What else?" Harry asked. He didn't like the sound of that particular job, but he guessed he had little choice.

"You are also to get in touch with the galactic slave market. We intend to become a very big customer in it." Buffy replied.

"You want me to buy slaves?" Harry was surprised at that revelation.

"Mostly girls, but men will be useful to our plans as well. We will bring the girls here to train as Battle Sisters, while the men will be used to fill other roles."

"Like what?" Harry frowned. There were a lot of pieces missing from this puzzle.

"Mostly missionaries. I intend to train a number of them to spread the Imperial Cult throughout the galaxy." Buffy's words quickly filled a large gap, but there were still a lot of holes left.

"I doubt the SGC will be happy that you're spreading your religion in the galaxy." Maybourne commented.

"I know. They mean well, but the fact remains that they or anyone else on this world for that matter is not ready to comprehend the consequences of the Goa'uld's defeat." Buffy replied.

"What do you mean by that? Destroying those parasites can only be a good thing." Harry frowned again.

"I'm not saying it isn't. As harsh as their rule is, they still maintain a level of stability in the galaxy. Their destruction will leave a major power vacuum and cause widespread anarchy throughout the galaxy. That is a situation I hope to avoid. By spreading the Imperial Cult, we will bring purpose and unity to the worlds of this galaxy." Buffy explained.

"And place the whole galaxy under your control." Harry pointed out.

"The God-Emperor is the one and only master of mankind. We serve in His name. Never forget it. And no, I will not be the ruler of the galaxy. We will establish a proper government based on the Adeptus Terra with elected High Lords. We have an opportunity to create the Imperium as it should have been here and I will not allow it to fall to petty infighting and power plays before it even got on its feet." Buffy's tone got a little harsh at the end.

"Alright. I understand what your goal is." Harry said, and inwardly, he was really impressed. Buffy certainly didn't do things halfway.

* * *

"You will play a big part in its establishment as well, Harry. Your last task will be to monitor the various missionaries, track their progress, read their reports, and in time, organize military aid for worlds ready to swear allegiance to the Imperium." Buffy grinned.

"So, how exactly are we supposed to get off Earth? I assume you're giving me the team that came with me?" Harry asked.

"Yes, they'll come with you once you have all completed your training and education here, along with several missionaries. We've already selected the world you're going to be based on. It's basically a useless ball of dirt in the middle of nowhere. As to how you're going there, you'll be going through the Stargate, of course. When it's time for you to leave, we're going to build a single-use Stargate and transport as much supplies as the thirty-eight minute window allows us. Afterwards, we'll be transporting people and supplies via Thunderhawk transport. We intend to build one capable of hyperspace travel and equipped with a cloaking device. It will also serve to deploy troops anywhere we need without having to rely on the SGC." Buffy grinned at Harry's gobsmacked face.

"You're one sneaky woman, Ms. Summers, and I daresay the brass in Washington is greatly underestimating you." Harry admitted.

"You think I look and act like a valley girl because I really am one? It is simply a very effective tool to make people underestimate me. When we met, all the President saw was a teenage girl who couldn't possibly comprehend what she was getting involved in. And normally, he would be right. However, I have inherited over two centuries of experience from a woman who has dealt with the forces of Chaos, not to mention over two dozen encounters with the Eldar." Buffy smirked.

"Ask the Eldar no question, for they will give you three answers, all of which are true and equally terrifying." Harry quoted.

"You've come prepared. Good. It goes without question that you will all be tagged. We'll implant you with a special device that acts like a beacon in the Warp. With it, we'll be able to locate you anywhere in the galaxy, so if you ever turn on us, you will not be able to evade us for long." Buffy nodded in approval.

"Unless I kill you and the Space Marine first." Harry pointed out.

"I knew there was a good reason to get you. Besides, I still have to tell you the benefits." Buffy laughed loudly.

"You mean besides getting me out of jail and letting me travel the galaxy?" Harry asked.

"We take good care of our own Harry, especially important people like Inquisitors. We'll provide you with full juvenat treatments. With that, you'll be able to live for several centuries, provided you're not killed in battle first. Even if you do suffer combat injuries, if we manage to recover you, we can replace practically any body part or organ." Buffy grinned.

* * *

"I had one last question. I have no doubt that you will train your missionaries well, but how will they convince the people they preach to that the God-Emperor is the real deal?" Harry asked cautiously. It was never a good idea to imply doubt in a zealot's deity.

"If you embrace the Emperor's light in your heart Harry, you will know the answer to that." Buffy's reply was unusually serene.

"You mean you can actually feel Him?" Harry exclaimed.

"In the memories I inherited, the Emperor's presence is merely a fact of life. I know it well, and nothing could ever fake it. And yes, a fraction of His presence can be felt here. I don't know if it's because of what happened to us, or because there are faithful souls here, but we can indeed feel His light. It is merely so faint that you have to truly open yourself to it to sense it. If you were a psyker, it would be as clear as the sun in your face." Buffy replied as she let her senses roam the Warp for a few moments.

"You understand the implications of this, right? What if more followers strengthen the connection? What happens when the whole galaxy praises Him?" Harry shivered. To know the power of a religion over its followers was one thing. To learn that its deity was real though was completely another. And this was no mere alien with advanced technology. The God-Emperor had REAL power.

"I have taken the matter under consideration many times as I made my plans. There is no risk that the Emperor's presence in this galaxy will grow. The gap between realities that allows His light to shine upon us is miniscule, and has shown no sign of widening even after all this time. I daresay I have a good understanding of the Warp, and you can be certain if it was going to widen, it was going to do so by now. So, all this presence does for us is prove that the God-Emperor is indeed real. I truly hope you learn to embrace it." Buffy smiled softly.

"Well, I won't reject the idea outright." Harry resigned himself.

"Excellent. As a high-ranking official, you are expected to attend all religious activities, after all." Buffy grinned as the man's face fell at that.

* * *

The first few days in Sunnydale for the former NID agents were a bit surreal. All of them were put in an accelerated program in order to learn everything they needed for their new duties. A surprise for Maybourne was also how much respect he was shown by the dozens of teenage girls in the base merely because of the rosary around his wrist. Of course, there were a few surprises as well.

"You want to replace my eyes?" Harry shouted at Willow as she was explaining how he would pass himself as a Goa'uld.

"Augmetic eyes are the only way to make your eyes glow like a Goa'uld. They also have a few extra options like night vision and the ability to see energy fields. They look exactly like your original ones." Willow explained, disregarding his protests.

"I don't see you replacing your eyes." Harry pointed out. Willow's cheeks reddened at that comment.

"My biology is incompatible with the blessings of the Omnissiah. I haven't had the time to explore the reasons in detail, unfortunately. I've had to make do with an external frame controlled by a mind-impulse unit. Now, let's get back to the matter at hand. Aside from the eyes, you will also receive a vocal implant, the tag and a security implant that will release a powerful neurotoxin if your body is ever infested by a Goa'uld symbiote." Willow replied.

"Alright. I guess I have no choice. So, when am I supposed to receive all this?" Harry asked.

"In a few weeks. We still have to construct a few of the components." Willow answered and walked out of the room to return to the factory. She had a lot of work if she was to meet the quotas Buffy had set for them.

* * *

"Hmm, when was the last time I came across demons?" Buffy mused as she caught sight of a pair of large, mouthless demons. When the demons didn't run, but instead rushed to fight her, she grinned in anticipation of the upcoming kill and drew her power sword. After all, nowadays she fought so rarely that she wanted to savor it, and using her bolt pistol ended the fights too quickly. The demons were stronger than a vampire, but rather poor fighters and Buffy had dispatched them easily. Once she was done, she called the cleanup squad, which was rarely summoned as usually the patrols fought vampires. Once that was done, she pulled out a rag and wiped off the demonic blood that had splattered across her face and armor, as well as on her hands.

It wasn't until the next day that she noticed something was wrong as the areas that the blood had touched had begun to itch. A few hours of research revealed that she was being affected by the aspect of the demon, which caused some alert considering the Imperium's stance on possession and mutation. When examination of the corpses and the type of demon revealed that their aspect was telepathy, Buffy was relieved. A few tests showed that her psyker ability has indeed increased, and she had grown from a strong Epsilon to barely within the Delta range. In addition, Xander had tested her thoroughly and proclaimed her free of taint. The relief of the half-dozen Sisters present to ensure she did not escape should she fail the test was obvious. However, this increase in ability meant a slight loss in control. In the Imperium, such a thing would have been incredibly dangerous, but here, she just needed some time to regain her focus. An unexpected blessing of this loss of control came the next day at school when she discovered that the lunch lady at the high school was planning on poisoning the students.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the SGC, they were once again facing trouble thanks to their premier team. SG-1 was exploring a previously inactive address when the local government attacked and took them into custody.

"If you release my men, we can clear this matter like civilized people." General Hammond spoke with the man holding his team captive.

"I don't know what tricks you're playing, Optrican, but if you attempt a rescue, we will execute your men." The man snapped and ended the transmission.

"Sir?" Walter turned to the General as the gate shutdown.

"We've tried being diplomatic. Dr. Felger, is Kendra ready for a mission?" Hammond switched the microphone before him to the speaker in the gate room.

"Ready and willing, General. What is my mission?" Kendra's voice echoed from the control room's speakers as her shell moved in position before the gate.

"Rescue SG-1. Avoid enemy casualties if possible." Hammond replied.

"Understood. Kendra out." It was a good thing the ramp was heavily reinforced, as Kendra thundered forward at an impressive pace as soon as the event horizon formed before her.

On the other side, the Bedrosian soldiers that stood aiming at the newly activated gate were shocked still as the massive machine thundered out of the circle. The few soldiers that were in its path barely managed to get out of the way, even if one got his head out from under Kendra's foot by inches.

"I have come for SG-1. Release them immediately." Her voice boomed as her auspex began scanning the area. She located all four of them into one of the buildings erected around the gate and moved towards it.

As soon as she moved, the Bedrosians opened fire on Kendra. Dozens of energy blasts washed over her shell from all sides. After a lengthy barrage, the commander ordered them to stop firing.

The machine stood still for a few moments, and just as they had believed that they had disabled it, a great booming laugh began to echo from it.

"My turn." Kendra's torso spun to the side as she aimed her assault cannon at the empty shuttle parked nearby. With a loud whine the weapon began to spin, before that whine was replaced by a deafening roar. A gout of flame erupted from the assault cannon as red-hot shells raced from its multiple barrels. In the blink of an eye, what was a fully functional shuttle was now a burning wreck.

Once her little demonstration was done, Kendra continued forward and with her claw, tore the door from the building where SG-1 was, ignoring the Bedrosian soldiers still firing on her.

"I thought I recognized that heavenly sound." O'Neill grinned as he saw Kendra stop before the cages holding them. Once again, the claw proved useful as she tore the cage doors like they were made from paper.

"Why were you captured?" Kendra asked. Even though she monitored the conversation General Hammond had with their leader, all she gathered was that they believed that SG-1 were spies from a rival nation.

"The Bedrosians believe the Goa'uld Nefertum created them, while their rivals the Optricans claim that Nefertum brought them to this world through the Stargate." Daniel replied.

She walked out as SG-1 began gathering their gear to keep an eye on the Bedrosians. It was a good thing she did, as she noticed three shuttles approach their position.

"Tell them to turn back, or you will all die." Kendra turned to the commander and ignited the pilot light on her flamer. The man stared at it for a few moments until he realized that he was facing an incendiary weapon. Combined with the ridiculously oversized machinegun on its opposite side, he knew he had no choice but to order his reinforcements to return. "Good. Now, drop your weapons."

* * *

"Boy am I glad Hammond sent you." O'Neill approached the massive machine as Daniel went to dial the gate.

"You should be more careful in the future, Colonel. I may not be there to save you next time." Kendra replied cheekily.

"If I had a penny for every time I heard that…" O'Neill muttered. Any further comments were cut off by the activation of the Stargate.

"And that's our cue to leave. It's been fun but sorry we can't stay longer." Jack grinned and turned away.

"I apologize for the damage I have caused. You are after all, merely victims of heresy." The soldiers were confused as to how THEY were the heretics.

A small compartment in her torso opened and several objects fell out. They were copies of a book Xander had prepared for the missionaries. Since it was unlikely that alien worlds could read English, it functioned as an audio book in over two dozen languages and had a small screen to show the text and various religious symbols. Willow considered the speech software one of her finest works to date. They had given some to Kendra to distribute if an opportunity arose.

"What is this?" The commander looked curiously at the large metal slate stamped with the image of a two-headed bird.

"The true path of humanity. I hope that it will help you see it." With that, Kendra turned and went after the already departed SG-1. She had used a radio connection with the SGC to keep the connection open. As she walked through, deep inside the machine, a smile formed on her face. She had sown the first seeds of the Imperium in the galaxy.

**AN: Before anyone complains about they being able to build a Stargate, it was shown that once you understood the technology, it can be done. And of course, this is still months away, Maybourne and his merry men won't leave until midway through season 4. If I have failed to answer any other important issues, please point them out in a review or PM and I will do my best to answer.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Alright, I have finally completed Season 3, and I hope that you'll like the fight with the Mayor. With that done, we have the finale of the Stargate Season 3 to look forward to as well, so there will be much more excitement still. About my little contest in the last chapter, perhaps I had made the hints too vague, but so far only one reviewer got it right. Congrats Dericof Diname, your char will appear in the next chapter. With that, all that's left is to say is read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 17**

Several weeks had passed in frantic preparation, and the group felt that they had a good chance to bring down the Mayor. Of course, Buffy would have felt better about their odds if they had managed to intercept the last artifact the Mayor needed to complete the ritual. When she had heard that the Mayor was bringing in one last item, she posted almost the whole Order on patrol, and even though they brought down over two dozen vampires and several demons, none of the items they retrieved was the real one. It seemed that once again, the Mayor managed to trick them.

"...and the Jaffa should be..." Buffy was interrupted in her conversation with Maybourne when Dr. Novak entered the office.

"Pardon the interruption ma'am, but I have good news." The woman began.

"Well, the Emperor knows I could use some." Buffy smiled lightly. Once Dr. Novak sat down, she reached in her robe and pulled out a vial filled with a red and blue liquid.

"I finally figured out how to stabilize polymorphine. Until now, the drug broke down into its component chemicals in minutes. After careful analysis, I discovered that two of the components had traces of a third chemical that destabilized the mixture. Once I've managed to remove it, the drug came out properly." Dr. Novak reported proudly.

"It is perfectly stable and functional, correct?" Buffy asked.

"I have performed the full range of stress tests and have done some experiments with tissue samples. It works exactly as it should." Dr. Novak replied.

"Well, this certainly gives us a valuable asset. A few Callidus assassins will be very useful against the Goa'uld." Maybourne commented.

"No, we won't use them against the Goa'uld. They will be of much better use against human or Jaffa leaders that resist the Imperial Cult. How much of the drug can you make?" Buffy informed Maybourne and turned to Novak.

"Well, it is a very complex substance. I'd say enough for two, maybe three agents if they use it sparingly." Dr. Novak replied.

"Two Callidus assassins are a powerful weapon. I'll assign a few of the recruits coming in a few days to training. Anything else, Dr. Novak?" Buffy turned to the tech-priest.

"Just an update about Mr. Kemp. His body is reacting to the treatments at an incredible rate. It's like he was born to be an Eversor." Dr. Novak commented as she stood up.

"Who knows, you may be right. Thank you, Dr. Novak." Buffy smiled.

"It seems we're slowly establishing all assassin temples. I still wonder why you even need something like an Eversor." Maybourne spoke once they were alone again.

"I didn't expect to establish the Callidus temple so soon, but it will be most useful once your mission begins. As for the other temples, I do have in mind to establish the Vindicare temple later. As for the Culexus temple, there is neither the means or the need for them." Buffy shivered a bit at the thought of the psyker hunters. "As for Mr. Kemp, he's one of the tools that we'll use to bring the Jaffa into the Imperium."

"And how will we accomplish that?" Harry asked. Hearing Buffy's plots always put him in a good mood.

"Obviously, the Jaffa will not simply embrace the Imperial Cult. The Goa'uld have been indoctrinating them for generations. To bring them in the Imperium, we'll need several things. The first and most important is to eliminate their dependence on Goa'uld symbiotes. Once we get her some test subjects, I'm sure Dr. Novak will figure something out. The second is to get the Jaffa rebellion under our control or influence. If we direct the rebellion towards embracing the Imperium, once the Goa'uld are defeated, we will control the Jaffa. The last thing we need is to disprove the Goa'uld's divinity while at the same time, demonstrating the power of the Emperor. This is where the Eversor comes in. We'll use him to strike the most fanatical Jaffa and leave a few survivors to spread the tale. Of course, we'll have to be very careful with this whole operation. One mistake could undo the whole effort." Buffy explained.

"Well, if we cure their dependence on the Goa'uld, and perhaps supply them with weapons, it will go a long way to earn their trust. Of course, Teal'c is a major figure in this whole plan. If you win him over, you'll gain a powerful ally in the Jaffa rebellion." Maybourne added.

"Teal'c does figure prominently in my plans. Now, let's get back to our discussion." Buffy changed the topic back.

* * *

"Buffy, can I talk to you for a bit?" The next day, Cordelia had approached Buffy after the morning sermon.

"Sure, let's go to my office." Buffy replied. "What's on your mind, Cordelia?"

"Well, a few days ago, I found out that my parents were not paying any taxes. The IRS seized almost everything we had." Cordelia began. "At first, I was shocked that my father would do something like that, but looking back I realize I shouldn't have been so surprised. Well, once the shock wore off, I began arguing with them, until I finally got fed up with their stubbornness and stormed out of the house. So, do you think I can have a place here?"

"Do you even need to ask? Do you need anything else?" Buffy gave her a comforting grin.

"I hate to beg, but I have nothing but the clothes I am wearing right now." Cordelia's tone was a mix between angry and embarrassed at her situation.

"I'll allocate some funds for you. I'll even give you enough to buy yourself a nice prom dress." Buffy surprised her.

"You're the best, Buffy. You won't regret this." Cordelia stood up and gave Buffy a tight hug.

"I'd be a fool not to help one of the best Commissars I've seen. You really surprised a lot of people, Cordy." Buffy grinned once she was released from the hug.

"Well, I better go get that dress I've had my eye on before anyone else buys it. Thanks again, Buffy." Cordelia rushed out, leaving a chuckling Buffy behind. Dealing with something so normal for once certainly lifted Buffy's mood.

Since both sides were gearing up for the Ascension, the supernatural activity in the city was practically non-existent, so when Cordelia called a few hours later asking for the clean-up crew, more than one person in the Imperial complex was surprised.

"This damn thing dared to attack me while I was shopping for my prom dress." Cordelia informed them as Buffy, Xander and Giles were examining the corpse.

"Eight bolt rounds at point-blank range? That's one hell of a quick draw, Cordy." Xander grinned.

"Thanks, I've been practicing. So, what is this thing, anyway?" Cordelia turned to Giles as they examined the creature. It resembled a werewolf, but there were some differences in size and shape.

"My best guess is a Hellhound. They are demonic foot soldiers bred for war." Giles explained.

"So this thing wasn't acting on its own. Xander, think you can get something out of it?" Buffy turned to the Chaplain and gave him a knife.

"I'll try." With a few moves, Xander opened the creature's skull, cut out a chunk of its brain and proceeded to swallow it. "Hmm, doesn't taste that bad, actually." Xander took another piece of the brain. "Alright, I think I got it. Its brain is no more advanced than an animal's, but I managed to see its most recent memories. It and a few other Hellhounds were trained to go after people in formal wear by this man."

A face flashed before their eyes for a few moments, and Giles managed to recognize it. "That's Tucker Wells. I've seen him in the library a few times."

"Alright. Cordy, how about we go and pay Mr. Wells a visit?" Buffy smirked.

* * *

It didn't take long for the pair to reach the address Giles supplied them with, and after a little snooping around, they found their prey in the basement along with four caged Hellhounds.

"Well, isn't this an interesting sight?" Buffy's voice caused Tucker to turn around and gasp in surprise at the two girls aiming large caliber guns at him. "Walk over there. No sudden movements." Buffy gestured towards one of the basement walls.

"It's not much fun when they're caged, but I'll enjoy it anyway." Once she had a clear shot, Cordelia quickly emptied her clip in the four demons, splattering their heads all across the basement.

"How many did you have?" Buffy asked, holding Tucker tightly pressed against the wall by his throat with her gun pressed on his temple.

"Five." Tucker replied shortly. "Are you going to kill me now?"

"No. You won't get away with this so easily. I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself." Buffy smirked inwardly as she saw a spark of hope in his eyes.

"I hereby sentence you to arco-flagellation. You will serve in this fashion until your eventual death in combat." With that, Buffy slammed the butt of her gun on his head, knocking him out. He would never wake as Tucker again.

* * *

With that bit of unpleasantness done, the girls were determined to have a good time at the prom, even though neither had dates, but that wasn't a problem for them as they had received a number of dance requests. A surprise for Buffy was the arrival of Angel. While they had met now and then during patrol, Angel did not interact with the Imperials much lately as they all bore holy symbols with them, and he couldn't enter the factory since it was also holy ground.

"I thought you had left town." Buffy asked as they danced.

"I'll be leaving after the fight with the Mayor. I want to make sure you'll be alright." He replied.

"My offer stands. If you need anything in LA, all you need to do is call. We're already supporting several hunter groups. One more won't hurt us." She commented.

"I know. I will miss you, though." Angel sighed.

"Me too." With that, they broke apart and Angel vanished into the crowd. Just because they had decided to break things off between them didn't mean that even after all this time a part of her didn't wonder what could have been if she hadn't ended it.

The night ended on a high note when Buffy was awarded the Class Protector award, revealing that her classmates were aware what she had done to help them during the last three years.

* * *

"Alright, according to the info our mages have managed to uncover, the Ascension will take place tomorrow during the graduation ceremony. We calculated that there will be an eclipse coinciding with the event, which is also the final part of the ritual. Lastly, the Mayor is also the Commencement speaker. This gives us when and where he will transform. Willow, how many sets of powered armor do we have?" Buffy began the briefing for her senior staff.

"Two Celestian sets, eight Seraphim and twelve Battle Sister sets, not counting Faith's and Xander's." Willow replied.

"How many heavy weapons do we have, including heavy bolters, meltas and similar?" Buffy continued. As the Magos in charge of the facility, Willow knew their inventory better than anyone.

"We've delivered a lot of the heavy stuff to the SGC, but we are not completely devoid of heavy weaponry. I have completed construction of an assault cannon for Xander. We also have four heavy bolters, two meltas and one multi-melta. All our plasma rifles have been dispatched to Colorado." Willow reported.

"Alright, this is our battle plan. It is likely the Mayor will use the vampires and demons he had gathered to pen us so that he'll be able to slaughter us in peace." Based on her experience, all Greater Daemons required sacrifices to maintain their power, and from her talks with Giles, it was likely the same in this case. "We will move in with a three-pronged assault. The twelve Battle Sisters will come from the sides of the courtyard. Four of them will be armed with the heavy bolters. Xander will attack from the rear. Finally, the Seraphim will strike at the demons at the exit from the yard to allow the students to escape to safety. We'll have half of the remaining Sisters setup a safe place near the school."

"What about me and the Celestians?" Faith asked.

"You'll take the meltaguns. Once we've cleared the area of civilians, you'll move in and vaporize the bastard." Buffy smirked.

"I can hardly wait. I expect the rest of the Order will guard the complex?" Faith asked.

"Correct. While I don't expect any demons to attack it, certain people might have caught wind of recent developments and might decide to take advantage of the situation." Buffy replied.

"It is highly unlikely that the NID would make a move, but it is best not to take the risk." Maybourne added.

"You have your orders. Dismissed." One by one, they all left the briefing room and went to prepare for the upcoming battle.

* * *

The next day, Xander began the sermon much earlier, and it lasted longer than usual, but it was certainly one of his most inspiring ones. Everyone present was fired up and ready for battle. Giles and the rest of their mages had also contributed to the effort by creating amulets that would help the armored troops remain unseen until they struck. It was a good decision, since two dozen heavily armed and armored soldiers would certainly draw attention.

The next day proceeded normally until the graduation ceremony began. As the students, parents and teachers began to arrive, there was also a lot of movement in the shadows. The vampires and demons crept through the sewers, waiting for the eclipse to emerge into the streets, while at the same time, the armored forms of the Battle Sisters and Xander's massive form thundered through the streets, unseen due to their magical concealment. On the roof of the school, the eight Seraphim were busy inspecting their armor and their bolt pistols. Three of them had a short power sword to replace one of the two bolt pistols the Seraphim usually had.

The ceremony began, and from the way the Mayor was reading his speech, you'd never expect anything unusual to happen, that is until the coming of the eclipse. As soon as the sun was completely covered, the Mayor doubled over and his body began to twist and grow until he turned into a gigantic serpent which roared its triumph to the world. At the same time, groups of vampires and demons surrounded the students. The parents and teachers had fled the moment the Mayor began to change, and fortunately, they managed to get away before they were surrounded. The one exception was principal Snyder, who stood in the middle of the chaos with a confused look on his face. As for the students, Buffy had subtly spread the word for them to stick close and wait.

As soon as the snake turned its attention down to the students, Buffy pressed a hand to the vox bead in her ear and said "Engage."

As soon as the word left her lips, the silence was broken by the loud roar of four heavy bolters which began raining death upon the massive serpent as the rest of the Sisters engaged the demons and vampires on the sides. A moment later, a much louder roar joined the bolters as Xander oppened fire with the massive assault cannon, releasing a stream of red-hot shells towards the demon.

Seeing their master in danger, the demons covering the rear began moving forward, but the loud whine of jet engines drowned out the sound of battle as the Seraphim crashed into their ranks, their bolt pistols raining death as they descended upon the demons as vengeful angels from heaven.

"Willow, Oz, Cordelia, escort everyone out of here." Buffy contacted them on their vox beads as soon as the Seraphim had cleared a path for them. Unfortunately, the battle against the serpent wasn't going quite so well. Buffy saw that while the bolters were hurting it, they were not doing nearly enough damage, even with the blessings that had been placed uppon the rounds, and the demon was not sitting idly while the Sisters fired upon it. The yard was a total wreck, and she saw two Sisters emerge with a stagger from a building where the demon had thrown them in with a flick of its tail.

* * *

"Damnation." Xander roared as his weapon depleted its ammo. He detached the ammo pack and discarded the weapon. Once it had hit the ground, he took the Crozius Arcanum hanging on his belt and checked the wrist-mounted bolter on his left arm. Behind his skull helmet, the young Chaplain smirked at his idea.

"For the Emperor." His roar managed to rise above the din of battle for a moment as he ran at the gigantic snake at full speed. When he was a few feet away, his run turned into a jump. As he heard the loud whine of protest from his suit from the strain of lifting its mass higher than it should, he simply ensured that he had a good reverse grip on his Crozius. Xander landed against the Mayor's serpentine body with the full weight of his Terminator armor, with the Crozius held forward, its energy field sparking at full power. The weapon, pushed by the sheer mass of Xander's armor burried itself almost completely in the snake causing it to release a deafening shriek of pain as the power weapon continued to spark with deadly energy inside it.

The impact nearly brought it down, but the Mayor managed to rise again and he began thrashing around, hoping to dislodge Xander who was hanging tightly, holding himself only by the handle of his weapon. Still, he was determined to do more damage, so he buried his left hand into the nearest wound and opened fire with his bolter. As they were not impeded by the serpent's resistant skin, the explosive rounds caused great damage to the already wounded demon.

Finally, the demon's blood on the Crozius made Xander's grip too treacherous to maintain, and he was thrown off the snake and into the nearest building.

"Buffy, we're clear." Cordelia's voice echoed in her ear. "Faith, move in. It's barbeque time."

Distracted as it was by the rain of bolter fire raining all over its body, the snake failed to notice the threat the three new arrivals represented until it felt tremendous heat and the lower third of its body simply vaporized or melted into a pile of goo. After this, the battle was pretty much over. Delirious with pain and weak from the countless wounds and blood loss, the Mayor finally collapsed on the ground. As his head slammed on the ground, he caught sight of Buffy, and in that brief moment their eyes had locked, she could see the sudden crushing revelation in his eyes that all his plans and dreams had been crushed by a petite blond girl. The irony and the indignity of it all burned him up just before Faith vaporized his head.

* * *

Only then did Buffy allow herself a sigh of relief. They had fought a powerful enemy, and with the Emperor's grace, triumphed. Now, she could deal with the aftermath. Snyder was rather easy to take care. The mere sight of the heavily armed soldiers that could easily crack him in half made the man obey what Buffy was telling him without question. As the clean-up crews dealt with the battlefield, Buffy went to talk with her classmates. Again, things went well on this front as well, especially when several of them asked to join up.

A week later, Buffy was finally finished dealing with the whole matter. Everything was covered up, all loose ends hunted down and taken care of, and all her plans were proceeding on schedule without the imminent threat of a rising Greater Daemon or anything else for that matter. So, it was with great satisfaction that she poured herself a glass of her finest brandy as a congratulation for a job well done. And just as she was about to take a sip, the form of Jack O'Neill shimmered into being before her.

"We have a big problem." The man said and suddenly, the glass of brandy had lost all its appeal.


	18. Chapter 18

**Well, finally done with season 3 of SG-1. Starting from the next chapter, we're diving into the fourth season of both shows and also bringing in Angel, which will feature in the story from time to time, but it, like Atlantis eventually won't play such a major role as the two core universes, but they will still get their time in the spotlight. There is still a great deal about this fic I have yet to reveal, the least of which is the origin of the trio's changes and the reason for them, so be patient. And yes, things are going well for our heroes at the moment, but things will begin to change in time. Anyway, all that's left is to say read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 18**

"Jack, what the hell have you gotten yourself mixed up this time?" Buffy sighed.

"I'm on Thor's ship on route to Earth. The whole ship has been infested by these weird techno-bugs and they're controlling the ship. Carter suggested I contact you as well hoping you could have more ideas." O'Neill began.

"What can you tell me about these bugs?" Buffy's manner turned serious.

"They're called Replicators, they're literally eating the ship to make more of themselves. Thor says that once they have enough, they'll land on the planet and consume everything." O'Neill replied.

"How big are they, and how tough?" Buffy continued her inquiries.

"They look like spiders a bit bigger than my head, and while they're completely immune to energy weapons, we've been blasting them to bits with shotguns and machineguns." O'Neill answered.

"Alright. Give me thirty minutes and I'll have something ready. Target the center of the complex courtyard for transportation." Buffy stood up.

"One more thing. We have no way of getting off this ship. Whoever comes up, won't come down." O'Neill's tone turned serious unlike his usual carefree manner.

"Understood. I have an idea about that, so don't write out your wills just yet." Buffy grinned and walked out.

* * *

"Faith, we have an emergency situation. Get every Sister with armor ready at once and add an equal number of unarmored Sisters to them. Willow, I want all shotguns, the ammo for them and all the frag grenades we have moved into the central courtyard immediately. Willow, you're also coming with me." Buffy called out her orders over the vox as she walked through the complex.

"What's going on, Buffy?" Willow asked as she stood in the courtyard overseeing a crew of servitors moving crates from their warehouse and into the yard. A number of Sisters gave them curious looks but knew better than to ask.

"SG-1." Buffy said shortly, and Willow immediately nodded in understanding. "They're aboard an Asgard ship headed this way. Apparently it's been infested by some sort of technological insect."

"An abominable intelligence?" Willow exclaimed in shock. To the Mechanicus, artificial sentience was the greatest anathema.

"I believe so. I was told they are immune or at least highly resistant to energy weapons, but just in case, have the Celestians bring their meltas. Also, they're rather small, so bolters wouldn't be as effective as shotguns. We have enough frag shells for them?" Buffy asked.

"Plenty. Anything else?"

"Jack said they had no way off. How quickly can the others build a few drop pods?" Buffy turned towards her as the first Sisters began to arrive.

"A few hours, but it will be a REALLY rough ride. I'll tell Oz to get on it right away." Willow replied.

"Sorry Faith, but you're staying here." Buffy turned to the other Slayer as she walked up to them with her multi-melta in hand.

"What? Why?" Faith protested.

"If this mission goes south, I'd rather we didn't lose all our senior officers." Buffy answered.

"Then why are you two going? Either of you are more valuable than I am." Faith pressed on.

"Willow is coming because she's the most skilled at interfacing with technology, which we'll probably need if we want to succeed, and I'm going for political reasons. My presence will demonstrate a lot of good will towards the Asgard and I'll be able to establish diplomatic relations to them as soon as we've made contact. Yes, it's a risk, but it's one I'm willing to take." Buffy explained.

"You plan on dealing with these aliens?" Faith frowned.

"The Asgard have protected humanity for generations. I don't say I like working with aliens, but as far as xenos go, they're not so bad. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. You will be staying here. Understood?" Buffy gave her a stern glare.

"Understood. Catrina, drop that melta. You'll be using this instead." Faith turned to one of the two Celestians and passed her the multi-melta. Buffy noticed that the girl's face was painted as a skull and made a note to inquire about that if they got through this new mess.

"Everyone arm yourselves. We should be transported soon." Buffy commanded her troops. Other than the Celestians which had their meltas, the other Sisters all took large, drum-fed combat shotguns and a significant quantity of frag grenades. Even with the small armory they had on them, there were still plenty of equipment around them.

After only a couple of minutes, there was a bright flash of light that enveloped the whole group and whisked them away.

* * *

"Whoa. You've been busy." O'Neill gasped as the previously empty store room was filled with crates and massive armored figures. "Be careful, the bugs will be here soon."

"OK. Catrina was it?" Buffy turned to the Celestian with the multi-melta. With their helmets on, there was no way to tell them apart since the armors were identical.

"Yes mistress." The girl replied as mechanical skittering began to echo from the corridors.

"I want this ship cleansed of this infestation. Am I understood?" Buffy's tone was like ice.

"We will fight until the last if need be, but we shall not fail you." The Celestian's tone was unshakable as she replied.

"Excellent. You're in charge in my absence." With that, Buffy gestured to O'Neill to lead the way.

* * *

"Form up Sisters. Give no quarter to these abominations." Catrina shouted as the first wave of Replicators began to pour into the store room. The shotguns roared to life, sending a hail of death at the machines, shattering them to pieces. Still, even with hundreds of their brethren dead, the Replicators marched on, determined to overwhelm these new enemies with sheer numbers.

"Grenades." Catrina ordered as she took aim with her multi-melta. A dozen grenades soared far into the corridors where they burst into clouds of jagged metal that tore apart hundreds of the spider-like machines.

At the same time, the two Celestians opened fire with their meltas and the results were quite interesting. The ones directly into the path of the invisible beam of superheated particles were vaporized instantly, while those that were not hit directly still had the individual blocks that they were made of fused together, which limited their mobility or impaired them altogether.

* * *

"Any reason you brought so many people along?" O'Neill asked, reminding her about his warning.

"You needed help. And we got a way out of the ship. We're building orbital drop pods. If we fail to retake the ship, we'll find a way to destroy it and escape in them. It will be one heck of a ride if you're not wearing armor, but we should live through it." Buffy replied.

"Alright. We're in here." O'Neill led them to a small room. Daniel and Teal'c were sitting on a few crates while Sam was tinkering with a large pedestal-like device. Thor was also there, lying in a large pod device. Buffy's hand twitched almost unnoticeably towards her holster at the sight of the alien, but she managed to control the impulse before anyone noticed. Instead, she took a moment to observe the Asgard. The race was much shorter than humans, with frail, thin bodies and a large head with big black eyes. In fact, they looked just like the Roswell Greys.

"Thor, this is Lady Inquisitor Elizabeth Summers and Magos Willow Rosenberg." Sam introduced them.

"It is an honor to meet you." Thor said weakly.

"You're injured. Does this ship have a medical facility?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, but the bugs may have tampered with it." Jack replied.

"I'll take a look at it. Hopefully, if there was any tampering, I'll be able to detect and repair it. If not, we won't use the machines. Either way, we have nothing to lose." Willow suggested.

"What if the Replicators attack us?" Daniel asked.

"They have bigger problems to worry about. Catrina, report." Buffy tapped her vox.

"We have begun to advance mistress, but it's going slow. These fiends are relentless. It would be a good idea to have some direction, though. We need to strike and hold the key locations of this vessel." Catrina replied.

"Daniel, think you can take care of that?" Buffy threw the vox bead to the archeologist who managed to catch it and soon enough began directing the Sisters in their duties.

* * *

"Give me a few minutes." Willow pressed her hands onto one of the consoles in the medical bay, using her electoo gauntlets to interface with the device. Having established a connection, she sunk her consciousness into the device, seeking its machine spirit. It wasn't long until she did so, but it was under attack by a Replicator program. The Asgard construct was losing, until Willow moved in to support it. Together, they managed to destroy the invading program, and Willow explained Thor's need to the machine. Determined to save its master, the machine spirit moved quickly to ensure that everything was working properly while Willow was establishing firewalls to ensure the Replicators couldn't strike back while Thor was being healed.

"It should be safe now, but I'll monitor the machine just in case the Replicators try anything." Willow replied before suddenly collapsing on her knees.

"Are you alright?" Buffy asked as she helped her up.

"That took out more out of me than I thought. I've been working in the factory all morning before you called me up." Willow yawned.

"You should have said something. Get some rest." Buffy waited until Willow closed her eyes before she turned to O'Neill. "We should probably contact the SGC, tell them what's going on."

"Unfortunately, the Replicators shut down the comm. systems." O'Neill informed her.

"In that case, I'll have to contact Xander and have him relay the message. Give me a few minutes." Buffy told them and projected her mind down to Earth, seeking Xander. An insanely dangerous move in the Imperium, but here, there was no risk whatsoever.

By the time she had filled him in on the situation and returned her consciousness back to the ship, Thor's treatment was also complete, and the Asgard was eager to get back at the Replicators.

* * *

"How are they doing?" The group returned back to the small control room where Daniel was directing the Battle Sisters.

"They're advancing to the bridge. The Replicators have been hitting them hard though and they've already had to restock on ammo. The Replicators seem to have realized how important the ammo was and they ambushed the supply runners. Two Sisters were killed and three others were badly injured." Daniel replied.

"I see. That was a mistake by the Replicators. They just motivated the rest to hunt down every last one of them." Buffy smirked.

"You don't care that two girls just died?" O'Neill protested.

"Of course I do, but now's not the time to mourn. Protecting Earth comes first." Buffy replied. "I'm going to help them out. You're welcome to join me if you want."

It took two more hours before they managed to clear the bridge and they redirected the ship back to Asgard controlled space.

True to Buffy's words, squads of Battle Sisters spread across the ship to hunt down the rest of the Replicators.

"It will be impossible to completely cleanse this vessel from the Replicator infestation. As soon as we reach Asgard Space, it will be destroyed." Thor stated.

"We've managed to stop them this time, but they may try again." Buffy commented.

"Unfortunately, my people can do very little to combat this threat. We are barely surviving against them." Thor admitted.

"Perhaps we could help you. While our fleet is still being constructed, we might be able to help you in other ways." Buffy offered.

"I will bring your offer to the Asgard Council." Thor replied. A few hours later, they had arrived in the Ida galaxy, the home of the Asgard and after some communication by Thor, all the humans and most of their equipment was transferred off Thor's ship before it was obliterated.

* * *

"The Asgard people are grateful for the aid of Earth and the Imperium of Man in this recent crisis." Buffy, Willow and SG-1 met the council the next day.

"To be honest, our primary motivation was the protection of our own world, but now that we're here, we would like to offer our support to the Asgard." Buffy spoke first.

"We humbly accept your offer and would like to suggest the possibility of an alliance between the Asgard and the Imperium." This surprised SG-1, but Buffy was pleased. An alliance with the Asgard would benefit them immensely.

After that meeting, Buffy asked that the Sisters be sent back to Earth so that their fallen could be given proper burial, and SG-1 joined them, while Buffy and Willow remained on the planet Othala to continue their work with the Asgard.

"I mean no offense, but this ship design is very inefficient." Willow commented as she worked with the Asgard engineers on ways to modify Asgard technology to better combat the Replicators. Already, Asgard designed powered armor and kinetic weaponry were rapidly being distributed to Asgard ships, allowing their crews to better combat the infestation in the early stages.

"What do you mean?" An Asgard called Kvasir was the leader of the group working with Willow.

"Well, overall the design is pretty good. You have strong hulls, good shields, powerful reactors and fast engines, but you come up short in the weapons department. Yes, you have multiple weapons arrays, but they all use the same weapon. For comparison, an Imperial ship of equal size would have ten times the weaponry. Not just directed energy weapons, too. It would have plasma and kinetic weapons, not to mention various sizes of missiles, as well as fighter support." Willow elaborated.

"You are suggesting we add more weapons systems?" Kvasir asked.

"As many as the ship can handle. Also, missiles and kinetic weapons don't need as much power and can still do a lot of damage. Remember, there's no such thing as overkill." Willow had to explain the meaning of the saying, but the Asgard managed to grasp the concept quickly and moved to begin redesigning the nearly finished O'Neill battleship, and began designing new classes to be built at a later date.

* * *

"…and with the new designs, I expect you to be able to handle even the improved Replicator controlled ships and hopefully push them back before they have time to adapt." Willow was reporting her progress to the Asgard Council.

"We are most grateful for your assistance. What about the other matter we asked you to look into?" The Asgard had revealed that they were a dying race, suffering from genetic degradation from generations of cloning themselves.

"I'm afraid I have been unable to find a solution. But with a combination of Asgard and Imperial knowledge, we've managed to slow the degradation, giving you a few more centuries to hopefully find a solution." Willow replied.

"Even that is more than we had hoped. To formalize our alliance, and to thank you for your aid, we would to dispatch a team of engineers to Tollana to upgrade your new shipyard with the latest Asgard construction technology. We also offer you four neutrino-ion generators for your facility on Earth and a transporter satellite." Buffy released an internal shout of triumph at that. The generators were equal to about two of their plasma reactors, which would allow them to bring the Ancient constructor working at its peak capacity and still have power to spare. Also, the satellite would allow them to transport troops anywhere in the western hemisphere and even aboard ships in space.

If any Goa'uld dared attack again, they'd have the unpleasant surprise of having squads of Battle Sisters appear on their bridge.

"We thank the Asgard people for this gift, and the alliance we have formed." Buffy spoke.

* * *

After that, it wasn't long before they were on their way back to the Milky Way and Earth. Once the Asgard dropped them off to Sunnydale and deployed the satellite in orbit, went ahead to Tollana to aid the Tollan in the shipyard construction. Of course, due to the Replicator threat, the ship headed back to Ida, leaving the engineers and supplies behind.

With this latest crisis over, the group could turn their attention on their own agendas.

The big question was whether or not to go to college now that they were done with high school. For Buffy at least, the decision was easy.

"What do you mean you're not going to college?" Buffy's mom frowned when she was given the news.

"Mom, I already have an education that's light years ahead of anything available today, and to be honest, the work I'm doing right now is far too important to deserve anything but my full attention." Buffy replied.

"I see I won't change your mind. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself." Joyce gave her daughter a tight hug, showing her full support regardless of what her choice was.

Willow also chose to remain at the factory full time, but several members of the group decided to go to college, and they received full support from Buffy.

Meanwhile, new recruits were assigned to a wide range of groups. Several girls with experience in martial arts were placed in training for Callidus assassins, while Xander took about two dozen students to teach them about the Imperial Cult and how to perform missionary duties.

Meanwhile, Cordelia had decided to travel to Los Angeles to seek her fortune, and departed only days after Buffy had returned. Once everyone had made their decision on what to do after high school, things continued according to the plans that had already been established.

The one significant change to the complex was the large statue of a winged woman holding a sword aloft in the middle of the compound, and on the pedestal were engraved two names, Abigail Simpson and Tsuki Andrews, the first martyrs of the Order of Our Valiant Sister. Buffy could see how every Sister looked at the monument when they passed it, and couldn't help but feel deep in her heart that before this all was over, there would be many, many more names added to that statue.


	19. Chapter 19

**Well, I FINALLY managed to get something out. I'm really sorry about this huge delay, but I've recently gotten a job at a local brewery and I've been putting major overtime, and my free time has been very limited. I hope that this chapter will answer some questions and reveal some plans for the future. And, due to popular demand, I've decided to revise my plans somewhat and include Space Marines in the fic, although they won't appear until much later. So, I'd like to wish everyone happy holidays and say read and enjoy.**

**Chapter 19**

The summer in Sunnydale passed with little excitement. With the Mayor dead and the constantly rising number of patrols, the demonic activity had been greatly reduced.

Finding herself with some free time after a rather busy summer, Buffy found herself knocking on Xander's door.

"You have some spare time?" Buffy asked once the door opened.

"For you, always." Xander grinned and stepped aside.

"So, what's on your mind?" Xander asked once Buffy was seated. There were a few spare chairs in Xander's room in case any of his flock wanted a private confession.

"Well, over the past few weeks I've had a lot of spare time, and I've been thinking about all that I've done since that Halloween. Do you think I've made the right decisions?" Buffy asked.

"I cannot say. There are some decisions I disagree with, but perhaps if I knew your thoughts on the matter, my opinion might change. Do you feel like explaining?" Xander asked.

"Ask away. I'll try to explain myself the best I can." Buffy nodded.

"Well, the biggest matter is your dealings with the Asgard. They may not be hostile, but they are still xenos." Xander began.

"I knew you were going to start with that. My first thought was, 'Can we destroy them?', and the answer is no. The Asgard are currently the strongest known faction, and the only thing keeping the Replicators from this galaxy. I have merely forged a temporary alliance to combat a greater threat. Secondly, their race is doomed regardless of what we do. The genetic degradation of their bodies is too extensive to repair." Buffy explained.

"Alright. I can accept that. After all, the Grey Knights have allied with the Eldar on several occasions. My next issue is Maybourne. Was it smart to give him an Inquisitorial Seal?" Xander continued.

"Smart? No, but it was necessary. If he is to operate in the galaxy and meet and deal with the leaders of other planets, he would need the highest authority. In this matter, my decision was mostly political, but I am confident that he will become an excellent Inquisitor. Besides, his leash is not nearly as loose as he thinks it is. If he steps one toe out of line, he will be terminated." Buffy smirked.

"My final question is when am I getting out of this damn complex?" Xander asked with a laugh.

"You already know that Willow managed to find materials suitable for the psycho-reactive components in Force weapons and your Grey Knight armor in the Asgard databases. She's been busy making you a new set of full Terminator armor and Nemesis spear. In addition to that, Willow is also working on a pair of Rhino transports. Once she's done, I have a couple of demon dimensions in mind that need to be visited, and you'll be leading those assaults. In the meantime, focus your attention on the new priests and missionaries." Buffy answered.

"So, I can expect hundreds, if not thousands of demonic scum just waiting for me to slaughter them? I'd say you're doing a damn good job. So, how's your mom?" Xander laughed, but there was a new glint in his eyes.

"She's happy we've been spending more time together. We've really began to drift apart, and I'm glad I can reconnect with her." Buffy sighed.

* * *

Feeling reassured from her talk with Xander, Buffy headed out to the factory to check on certain projects.

"How is everything, Dr. Novak?" Buffy asked their Magos Biologis.

"The girls are adapting well to the treatments and their training is progressing at an amazing pace. I have also begun their training with Polymorphine. They're already capable of changing their face and certain body parts, but it will take some time before they can change size or mimic the opposite gender." Dr. Novak reported.

"Tucker is progressing well?" Buffy inquired about her latest acquisition.

"The flagellation was a success, and his brain is reacting well to the programming. The weapons will be completed and installed within the week, and it will be ready for active service once we're done." Buffy gave the mutilated man a short glance, imagining the psychological effect it would have on their foes.

"And E-001?" Buffy asked.

"He has reached a stage in his development where keeping him out of stasis is detrimental to his health. I am currently completing his treatments. Once that is done, we will upload all the training directly into his cerebral implants while we wait for his equipment to be completed. Afterwards, I recommend he be sent on a simulated mission to fully determine his capability and adaptation to the treatments and training." Dr. Novak replied.

"Excellent. Keep up the good work, Dr. I would also like you to prepare a training and treatment program for the Vindicare temple. Once the Callidus assassins are done, I want to start with them." Buffy commented.

"Understood. Do you intend to establish the Cullexus temple as well?" Dr. Novak asked.

"Since this galaxy does not have psykers or blanks, there's no point. Oh, before I forget, have you made any progress on the subject I asked about two weeks ago?" Buffy stopped just before she walked out of the lab.

"Yes, I have. We currently have both the knowledge and the means to manufacture the life eater virus, but I must warn you that it should only be made and transported in space. I am confident that the containers for it will keep it properly, but there's no reason to risk any of our worlds needlessly." Dr. Novak said seriously.

"I will see into establishing a facility in orbit of Maybourne's base once it is constructed. It is after all the one Exterminatus class weapon we can produce the fastest and without the cost of special complex components." Buffy commented.

"We have targets for Exterminatus?" Dr. Novak frowned.

"You remember the aliens that invaded the SGC? We never gave them a welcome present, and I for one don't want to appear rude." Buffy smirked and walked away.

* * *

"Anything to report?" Buffy walked into the facility's command centre, which also contained a hololith table which held a map of the city and provided real-time tracking of their patrols.

"A few vampire encounters. A few patrols also reported that they were almost spotted by the Sunnydale PD, but managed to evade them in time." Faith began. Secrecy was still paramount to the group, even with their increasing numbers. While the amulets they had used to fight the Mayor were useful, they also required rare materials that were both expensive and difficult to procure and Giles had informed them they were to be used only in emergencies.

"I see you've expanded the patrol routes." Buffy commented as she examined the projection.

"The Mayor was a big factor in keeping the inhuman scum centralized in this area." Faith circled an area of the city. "Without a strong leader to give them a greater purpose, they've scattered all over the city."

"An unfortunate consequence, but nothing we cannot manage. Even if they don't encounter anything, the Sisters still get valuable experience in these patrols." Buffy commented.

"Indeed. Well, I'm scheduled to leave for a patrol soon so see you later." Faith turned and walked out of the room, leaving Buffy to stare absently at the transparent map of the city.

* * *

Meanwhile in L.A, another group of people were gathered in a basement room, and one could hear talking amidst the sound of ringing metal.

"All I'm asking is why you are even bothering with this acting business?" Wesley asked as he ducked. A large blade quickly passed where his head had been moments ago.

"It has been my dream for a long time, and besides, the added revenue will greatly aid our activity here." Cordelia replied as she attacked with her chainsword again. For use in sparring, the blade was turned off and its teeth were covered, but with its weight, it still left nasty bruises if it hit.

"What exactly are we supposed to even do here? We've been here for weeks now and have done nothing but slay the occasional vampire." Wesley countered.

"Our primary mission is not combat, it's intelligence gathering. You really think I can clean out this whole daemon infested city with one Watcher and a friendly vampire?" Cordelia scoffed as she parried a blow, followed by a kick to Wesley's chest.

"And who put you in charge in the first place?" The aforementioned friendly vampire was observing the spar from the side. He didn't engage in them, as Wesley was not on his level, and Cordelia was not only a fury with her sword, and even if she had a long way until she mastered it, she refused to spar with anything but her chainsword, which was heavily consecrated and fueled by the girl's strong faith in the God-Emperor. Even a touch would vaporize the area of contact with a vampire.

"Buffy did, of course. Between a loyal Commissar, a Watcher and a sanctioned daemonhost, who do you think Buffy would choose?"

"I'd appreciate it if you stopped calling me that." Angel protested. Being constantly reminded of his status was not something he enjoyed.

"Nice place you got here." A voice was heard from the door, causing an end to the spar. Instantly, Cordelia ripped the cover from her sword's blade and leapt at the intruder, thumbing the activator in mid-jump. The man gave a startled yelp as he jumped to the side, causing Cordelia to cut a deep, jagged line starting from the door and moving into the wall. The thick stone wall caused the blade to get stuck, which only served to piss Cordelia off.

With a snarl, she reached down to her belt and pulled out her newest weapon, a master-crafted plasma pistol, and leveled it at the intruder.

"Whoa, I'm a friend." The man screamed as the weapon began glowing blue accompanied by ominous humming.

"That remains to be seen. On your feet." Cordelia snapped. As she approached the man with the gun, the man gave out a startled hiss and jumped back while his face turned demonic, with green skin covered in blue spines and red eyes.

"Who blessed that bloody thing, the Pope?" The man exclaimed as his face turned human again.

"This weapon was hand-crafted by a Magos of the Cult Mechanicus using blessed metals, holy water and sacred oils. Hymns and litanies were chanted for the full duration of its creation, and the completed weapon was trice blessed by a Grey Knight Chaplain. The Eagle's Claw was built for one purpose. To hunt down and destroy the demon filth polluting this world." Cordelia said proudly as she aimed the gun at the man's head.

"I'm here to help you, damn it. Will you stop and listen for one damn minute?" The man shouted.

"Very well. I will hear you out. Whether or not I shoot you remains to be seen." Cordelia lowered her gun, showing that both sides were engraved with fine script. One was a prayer to the Emperor, while the other was the Commissar's Oath.

"I might shoot you regardless considering what you made me do to Kitty." Cordelia managed to pry the chainsword from the wall and began to caress it like a beloved pet. "There, there Kitty, mommy will make you nice and clean soon."

"Maybe coming here was a mistake." The man commented, looking towards the other two men for help. Angel and Wesley could only shrug, already used to their superior's strange habits. Cordelia's name for her blade was a much discussed topic back in Sunnydale. Many Sisters had earned themselves latrine and salvage duty by questioning Cordelia's sanity and choice of name. To their misfortune, Cordelia seemed to have a sixth sense for people badmouthing her.

"Well, my name is Doyle, and I was sent here by the Powers That Be. They occasionally send me visions of people in danger, and my latest vision told me that a vampire called Angel could help me and it gave me hints on where to find him. They didn't say I'd get attacked by a crazy chick swinging a chainsaw on a stick." Doyle sent a glare at Cordelia, who glared back and revved up her blade, reminding him of its dangerous nature.

"So, you want our aid in helping these people you get visions of?" Cordelia asked.

"I was sent here for Angel, but any additional help would be most welcome." Doyle replied.

"Alright. Angel will go with you and help you. If what you say is true, we will aid you. If this is all a trap, I will personally hunt you down and feed your guts to Kitty." Cordelia grinned evilly as she patted her blade. The name began as a joke to her, but it seemed the blade's machine spirit liked it, so she stuck with it.

"You're awfully eager to risk my life." Angel frowned.

"I am quite confident in your ability to get yourself out of trouble, and even if you fail and do die, I am certain it would be a glorious death in the Emperor's name." Cordelia gave him a soft smile. "Now, I have to get ready for a party tonight, and I can hardly attend covered in sweat. You boys go and have fun."

* * *

"Interesting girl." Doyle commented once he and Angel were outside.

"That she is. Probably one of the most violent women I've met in my life, and one of the biggest religious fanatics you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting." Angel smiled.

"You sound like you know more than one such person." Doyle commented. While the cursed vampire's life was known to him, the last few years were filled with a lot of gaps in his knowledge.

"Far more than I'd like. Things changed a lot over the past few years. For example, Sunnydale now has the lowest number of demonic deaths in the country. And considering it's built on an active Hellmouth, that's even more impressive." Angel began.

"It surprised a lot of people on both sides. The Slayer's new group is quite effective. So, Cordelia is a part of it?" Doyle asked.

"Yes. For an ordinary human, she's become surprisingly effective in fighting demons. Give her a few years and she could become just as renowned and feared as the Slayer." Angel shrugged.

"Well, let's get back to business. This is the person I had a vision about…" Doyle changed the subject, telling the vampire about the girl they were trying to save.

* * *

At her party, Cordelia frowned when she caught sight of Angel. A quick talk with the vampire about his presence there only served to increase her anxiety. There was something fishy going on around here and she didn't like it one bit.

The next day, as Angel was still busy with his investigation, Cordelia received an unexpected call from her agent telling her that a man called Russell Winters wanted to meet with her, and that he was apparently very influential and could greatly help her career.

The limo ride was quite comfortable, and Cordelia was quite impressed with the man's mansion. She just hoped he wasn't some sleaze ball that asked her to come here to sleep with him. If that was the case, her knee would soon meet with a certain part of his anatomy.

"Welcome to my humble home. Please, sit down." Russell offered her a seat once the butler led her to him.

Cordelia took a seat opposite him and put her large purse on her lap, feeling the familiar weight of the weapons she had inside.

After a few minutes of smalltalk, Cordelia decided she wasn't comfortable with the way the man's eyes looked at her and stood up and walked around the room, seeming to admire the décor.

"This is a really nice house, Mr. Winters with… heavy drapes and no mirrors." Cordelia whispered as she realized what was going on.

"You're a vampire!" She exclaimed as she turned around to glare at the man with an expression of disgust.

"A vampire?" Russell put on a surprised look on his face as he stood up.

"Don't play dumb with me filth. I'm from Sunnydale." Cordelia snarled and reached into her purse. Russell was still approaching her slowly, obviously unconcerned about anything a little girl like Cordelia could do to him, so he was caught completely by surprise when she pulled out a handgun almost as big as her forearm. His proximity to the holy weapon didn't help him much either as he tried to jump back and tripped on a chair.

"In the Emperor's name, you are hereby sentenced to death." Cordelia's tone was arctic as she raised her weapon and fired a shot right at the man's head, vaporizing it and burning a hole right through the floor. A moment later, the rest of the vampire's body burst into dust.

* * *

As Cordelia walked out of the room, two security guards at the end of the hallway caught sight of her. Before they could raise their weapons, streams of plasma were already heading towards them, striking one in the head and the other in the chest. Unfortunately for her, one of them fired his weapon as he died, drawing the attention of the other guards.

Cordelia rushed to get out, but was soon pinned down close to the entrance by Russell's security force.

"Come cowards, face the Emperor's fury." Cordelia screamed as she fired a burst of plasma at the guards as she weaved between pillars, wholly unconcerned about the bullets zooming around her. She grinned as she saw one guard dodge too slowly and a plasma shot hit him in the side. Even if he didn't die, the shock would keep him out of the fight.

The hit was returned with increased weapons fire, and Cordelia was starting to worry. She didn't have a lot of ammo left, and there were still too many guards left. Fortunately, she still had one last ace up her sleeve. She reached into her purse and pulled out a frag grenade.

'And Wesley said I was crazy to haul this thing with me.' Cordelia smirked as she pulled the pin and lobbed it towards the biggest bunch of guards.

The sheer surprise the men felt when they realized a girl in an evening dress just threw a grenade at them was short lived as the grenade blew, showering the hallway with deadly shrapnel.

Grasping at the opportunity, Cordelia rushed out of cover, firing her weapon as she did. She managed to nail two more guards as she reached the stairs leading down to the entrance of the mansion. Without hesitation, she vaulted over the railing, grateful for the genetic enhancement she had received the last few months, even though she spent two months feeling various unpleasant symptoms like vomiting, sudden bursts of weakness and energy, nausea, unpleasant aches and splitting headaches.

She landed and ran out the door, running into Angel of all people just out the door.

The vampire hissed in pain as the plasma weapon narrowly missed his face, causing it to smoke and blister.

"Sorry about that. We need to leave now." Cordelia deactivated her gun, and together with Angel rushed towards the gate where Doyle was waiting for them in a car.

"So, what brings you here?" Cordelia asked.

"We discovered that Russell Winters was responsible for Tina's death." Angel explained how the girl he and Doyle were trying to help was found dead with bite marks on her neck, and how Angel had discovered who the one that attacked her was.

"Is that so? Maybe I shouldn't have killed him so quickly then." Cordelia shrugged. "Well Doyle, it seems you were telling the truth. Welcome to the group."

"Does this mean you'll stop trying to kill me?" Doyle asked.

"As long as you don't turn on us or make me angry. Now, let's get back home. All this killing has made me hungry." Cordelia laughed at her joke as the two men shared a nervous glance.

* * *

A few hours later at Russell's house, a young man in a business suit was staring curiously at the guard corpses being removed from the mansion.

"Whatever hit them had enough force to not only penetrate their armor, but burn right through them." One of the men moving the bodies informed him. "And whatever it was, it was hot as hell. The flesh and armor around the wound is completely melted. And we also found these."

The man in the suit stared a few moments at the bent flechettes in the man's hand before he pulled out his cell phone and began dialing.

"It seems we have new players in town." He began.

"No, I don't think the senior partners need to be bothered with this just yet." With that, he hung up and walked away as the house slowly burst into flame. By the time the fire dept. would get there, all evidence that anything unusual had happened there would be long gone.


	20. Chapter 20

**Another chapter done, bringing us back to the main storyline. There's little excitement for now, but things will heat up soon as the policies of the SGC and the New Imperium begin to move in different directions. As always, read and enjoy.**

**Chapter 20**

It was a nice, quiet night at Willy's bar, and while the bar looked quite normal, its clientele was anything but, as this particular club was the favored hangout of all the inhuman denizens of Sunnydale.

"Everyone having a pleasant evening I hope?" The door opened and Buffy walked in, flanked by two Battle Sisters.

"How can I be of service tonight, milady?" Willy was handing her a glass of fine brandy the moment she stopped by the bar. Considering her semi-frequent visits, Willy's choice to buy some good liquor seemed rather wise to him.

"Just passing by. Unless you happen to have anything interesting to tell me?" Buffy spoke calmly as her two escorts kept looking over the nervous demons gathered in the bar. The remaining demons in Sunnydale stayed alive and in town only by striking deals with Buffy, but that didn't mean they were comfortable with scores of soldiers wearing blessed armor running around the city.

"Well, I'm not sure if it's true or not, but word on the street is Spike is back in town." Willy began.

"He's not stupid enough to come back here without a really good reason, and whatever that may be, it can't be good news for us. Come on ladies, we're leaving." Buffy finished her drink and walked out the bar. A minute later, the bar patrons began to relax.

"I can't believe we're cowering to that damn human." One large, scaly skinned demon hissed to his companion.

"Hey, I don't like it anymore than you do, but do you remember what happened to Tim last week?" The grey skinned, horned demon across him replied.

"He always was stupid, but I get your point. There's not much we can do." The demon remembered what the Sisters had done with the demon that had decided to attack them one evening. Getting your limbs shot off a piece at a time was hardly pleasant.

"I heard from a friend they've been getting books and items needed to open portals. Makes you wonder what they're planning, huh?" The demon on the next table joined the conversation.

"You mean they're actually going to attack one of the demon dimensions?" The grey skinned demon exclaimed.

"They have a bloody army in that damn factory of theirs. I don't know a lot of dimensions that can fight them back."

"There's more. I was in the sewer last night when one of their patrols walked by. I was lucky to crawl into a pipe before they saw me." The scaly demon added. "I heard them talking about fighting 'the demon scum in their own land', and how 'the Chaplain would lead them to victory'."

"Who's this Chaplain?" One demon asked.

"Pray you never meet him. I've seen vampires burst into flames just by being too close to his armor." Another demon shivered.

* * *

Unconcerned with the rumor mongering of the demons she just left behind, Buffy rushed back to the HQ.

"You're back early." Faith was a bit surprised to see Buffy return, but she figured that there was a good reason for it.

"Willy said Spike may be in town. Did the patrols report anything?" Buffy asked.

"None have reported anything of note. The few demons and vampires they did encounter had a writ of passage." Faith replied. The item in question was a simple scroll that had an embedded transponder that informed the patrols that the person carrying it was allowed to pass unmolested. It was rather expensive, and the few Buffy had put on the market were bought quickly and changed hands frequently.

"I doubt he's alone, and he could have bought a writ. Activate the satellite and do a full scan of the city. Locate any vampire group higher then three." Buffy didn't use the Asgard satellite often as it was still xenotech, and it was also no challenge to hunt demons if you knew where they were at all times. She felt that the patrols improved more if they were facing the unknown at all times, so she only used the scanner for emergencies.

"We have two groups, here and here." Faith pointed at the holomap.

"Send patrols to both locations. Purge them completely, but I want Spike brought to me alive. If Drusilla is with him, get her as well." Buffy ordered.

"Understood. I will teleport several squads close to the sites." Faith replied and began relaying orders.

* * *

The vampire group that Spike had bribed or coerced to come to Sunnydale to aid him in his quest to find the gem of Amanra had moved in an abandoned house on the edge of town in preparation for scouting for the legendary artifact. Spike even had the foresight to send one of his men to buy a writ of passage to allow his men to go around town unmolested.

"…and then we'll search…" Spike was explaining his plan to his minions over a large map of the city when his sharp eyes caught a slight shimmer near one of the walls. He walked forward, trailing the faint ripple and with a quick lunge, managed to snatch it from the air. To his surprise, what he grabbed was a human skull with several mechanical components attached to it. The skull gave a mechanical chirp and in a flash of light, they were both gone.

The moment Spike vanished, a dozen Battle Sisters rushed in, raining death from bolters and flamers at the shocked vampires. A minute later, all that was left was an empty house that was slowly burning to the ground.

"Hello, William. What brings you to these parts again?" Buffy grinned at the bound and snarling vampire.

"My name is Spike, bitch. And I go where I please, slayer. I don't answer to you, so you might as well kill me." Spike snarled.

"Kill you? Oh no, William. The last thing you deserve is a quick death. You will do much before I even consider letting you die. The suffering you have inflicted upon humanity will be repaid a thousand fold upon you. And putting you in my service sounds like a good first step." Buffy smirked evilly.

"What makes you think I'll ever obey your self-righteous ass?" Spike spat.

"You actually think you have a choice? I assure you, you do not have one. You will serve me unquestioningly for a long time. Now, I will leave you in the capable hands of Dr. Novak and Giles." Buffy laughed and walked out.

While Spike was not worried about the Watcher, having dealt with him and his kind for a long time, the woman next to him, wearing a blood-splattered white robe and sporting four waving mechanical limbs that emerged from above her shoulders and the sides of her waist did cause a sense on unease in him. Further cause for concern was the wide array of medical instruments arrayed on said limbs.

"Just so you know I'm going to take a great deal of enjoyment from this." Giles told Spike and began preparing some sort of spell by drawing a ritual circle around the vampire.

"Enjoy what?" Spike was a bit confused.

"The Inquisitor has allowed my request to examine a vampire and determine which of your abilities are biological, and which are mystical. I will be also implanting several devices in your body to facilitate your reprogramming. The Arch Magos has also requested that the spinal and cranial implants are applied without pain killers or anesthesia, so I hope you have a high pain threshold." Dr. Novak spoke with a detached tone. She had grown into her role as Magos Biologis just as Dr. Lee had grown into the role of Magos Technis. The man was constantly in the factory, overseeing all aspects of production, thus allowing Willow and Oz to focus most of their time on the constructor.

With growing dread, Spike watched the mechadendrites head towards his body. Soon after, the screaming started.

* * *

"He didn't act that differently." Faith commented as she watched the newly released vampire walk away with a few parting insults.

"Of course he acts the same. That's the point of a deep cover agent. Spike is a magnet for trouble, and anyone trying to stir up trouble in this town is liable to seek him out, since it's well known he's one of my major enemies that still draw breath." Buffy explained her plan. It was mostly to make Spike suffer, but that didn't mean she couldn't put him to good use at the same time.

"Ma'am, we received a message from the SGC while you were out on patrol." One of the Sisters handed her a sealed message. To her relief, it was not stamped urgent. She read it once and sent the Sister to fetch Faith and Xander.

"I just received a message from the SGC. They are forming an official alliance with the Tok'ra, and as their ally, they have asked us to be there to witness this event." Buffy explained.

"We don't need that xeno scum." Xander frowned. The thought of an alien infesting the sacred human form was something he found beyond distasteful.

"Still, we need to maintain our tolerant stance and show a civil face. This event will also allow me to speak with Teal'c and hopefully gain his ear and thus open the door towards the Jaffa rebellion." Buffy replied.

"When is this meeting taking place?" Faith asked.

"Two days from now at the SGC." Buffy replied.

"They invite xenos upon Holly Terra? Blasphemy." Xander's voice rose to a roar at that outrageous revelation.

"I don't like that fact anymore than you do, but I will do nothing to endanger our position with the SGC." Buffy said sharply, knowing the stubbornness of her friend and of Space Marines in general.

"Still…" Xander began, but was silenced as Buffy raised her hand.

"Don't worry about the Tok'ra. They have no queen after all, and thus no way to increase their numbers. Our assassins will also thin their numbers once they have been dispersed throughout the galaxy."

"You plan on sending the assassins against the Tok'ra?" Faith asked curiously.

"I will send them against the Goa'uld. It is simply unfortunate that finding the difference between a Goa'uld and a Tok'ra infiltrator won't always be possible." Buffy grinned.

"I find all this deceit and manipulation distasteful. When did we turn into the trice-damned Eldar?" Xander spat.

"We do not have the might of the Emperor's armies at our disposal here. To triumph over our enemies, we must use all the gifts He has bestowed upon us. And if that means deceit and trickery, then so be it." Buffy reminded him.

"Who are you going to take as your escorts?" Faith decided to change the subject before the two began a debate.

"I have no preference, but there's no reason to bring Celestians. Two Sisters will suffice." Buffy replied and walked out.

* * *

Unlike the long flights or drives that marked her previous trips east, this was done very quickly thanks to the Asgard teleporter. In a flash of light, Buffy appeared in the gate room, flanked by two Battle Sisters clad in full armor and holding their bolters at the ready.

Buffy was also decked out in full combat gear, with strong carapace armor covering her body. The armor was hand-crafted and extremely elegant, giving Buffy the appearance of a holy knight. Draped over her shoulders was a red cape with gold trim bearing the barred I, while resting on her chest was her ever present Aquila necklace. On her belt hung her trusty bolt pistol and her brand new force sword.

"Ms. Summers, welcome to the SGC. Please, follow me." General Hammond was ready to welcome them and quickly led them away from the room they had arrived in.

"Something seems to be bothering you, general." Buffy had noticed that the general seemed distracted and even concerned about something.

"Well, we learned recently that the Goa'uld can place subconscious programming to turn normal people into assassins called Za'tarcs. We discovered this when one of our men tried to assassin the Tok'ra High Councilor." Hammond began.

"I take it there's more to this?" Buffy frowned at this revelation. They would need to increase the security measures for their off world projects if something like that existed.

"The Tok'ra brought with them a machine capable of detecting this programming, and three people failed the test. Lt. Astor killed herself as we were attempting to remove the programming. The others are Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter." Hammond concluded.

"I'd like to interrogate them myself. No offence to the Tok'ra, but I'd rather make sure for myself that half of SG-1 has really been compromised." Buffy offered.

Hammond nodded and led them to the cell where O'Neill was locked up.

"Well, isn't this a surprise. What brings you here, Inquisitor?" O'Neill grinned.

"I'm here for the treaty signing, of course. After the general filled me in, I decided to check for myself if you're really compromised." Buffy shrugged.

"You don't trust the Tok'ra?" O'Neill asked curiously. He wondered just how tolerant their allies really were to aliens they've encountered.

"I trust them, Colonel, but when it comes to the human mind, I happen to be the expert. Now, try to relax and don't resist my presence." Buffy smirked as her eyes lit with eldritch energy. "Sisters, hold him down."

Ten minutes later, the fire in Buffy's eyes died down and she gestured for the Sisters to release the Colonel, letting the man slump in his chair as he blacked out.

"He's not a Za'tarc. His mind shows no trace of manipulation." Buffy concluded.

"But he failed the Tok'ra testing." Hammond reminded her.

"I find it more likely that he was lying. He seems to harbor feelings for Major Carter that go beyond what regulations would allow. I think he didn't want to admit to this." Buffy replied.

"What if you're wrong?" Hammond asked.

"I'll have Amy and Madison here as escorts for both of them during the conference. If they are Za'tarcs, they will be subdued before they can cause any incident." Buffy gestured to the two Battle Sisters.

"Shall we check on Major Carter next?" The General asked.

"Certainly. Afterwards, I'd like to talk to Kendra for a bit." Buffy nodded. Using the chance to obtain certain secrets the SGC had not shared with them was simply a bonus.

* * *

"Councilor Per'sus, allow me to introduce Lady Inquisitor Elisabeth Summers of the Imperium of Man." General Hammond introduced the recently arrived Tok'ra delegation to Buffy who had just emerged from Kendra's chamber. That was when things suddenly turned for the worse. One of the Tok'ra raised his hand and turned towards Buffy. There was a bright flash of light and the sudden bark of bolters firing, coupled with plenty of shouting and screaming.

"Sisters, hold your fire. Everyone stop." Buffy's voice, laced with some psychic suggestion echoed across the gate room. Everyone saw that Buffy was completely unharmed, while the Tok'ra that tried to kill her was pressed, spread eagle against one of the walls.

"It seems your checks were not as thorough as you claimed." Buffy grinned as she observed the shocked looks she was receiving.

"Are you harmed, mistress?" The Sisters were quick to rush to her side, leveling their bolters at everyone present, but keeping an especially vigilant eye on the Tok'ra.

"No, Amy. The Emperor protects." Buffy smirked as she tapped her necklace which contained a conversion field generator. Even then, there was a small scorch mark on her armor, a testament to the penetrating power of the assassin weapon, but since the armor was was black with a few golden elements, no one had noticed it. "Please restrain him."

The Sisters were none too gentle with the man that had dared to raise a weapon against the Most Holy Inquisitor, but had him secured without inflicting any additional damage.

* * *

"I think that we need to have a long talk." Councilor Per'sus stepped forward, examining the two armored women and their leader. When the Tok'ra had learned that Earth had obtained more advanced weapons and technology from a source unknown to them, their reactions were mixed. However, after receiving reports about the technology from agents who had seen it firsthand, the Tok'ra placed these new allies Earth had made around the same level as the Tollan, if a bit more militaristic. However, since then, the Tok'ra had received new intelligence that did not match their initial assumptions. The effectiveness of Imperial weapons despite its crude appearance was staggering, and that was just the infantry weapons.

The huge war machine sitting next to the Stargate in the SGC was something the Tok'ra wouldn't be able to conceive, let alone build, and the two women wearing what was obviously powered armor was another issue. Both they and the Goa'uld had made some research in the subject, but they had no success in creating anything viable, while here was a civilization that not only had the ability to build effective powered armor, but could afford to make it as stylized as the examples before them.

Additionally, reports from scout ships sent into Tollan space brought back images of a huge orbital shipyard, where the frames of ships bigger than anything they had ever seen were slowly taking shape, and while these vessels were still too incomplete to recognize the design, they bore no resemblance to Tollan vessels.

The last issue was the strange abilities displayed by the apparent leader of the Imperial forces. Psychic abilities were something the Goa'uld had tried to cultivate in their hosts for generations. Also, the position of Inquisitor brought with it terrifying implications. It meant an organized and enforced state religion, something the Tok'ra had fought against for centuries.

"Certainly. Let us discuss your attempt to assassinate me." Buffy smirked at the Tok'ra.

"Ms. Summers, I don't think this incident was the fault of the Tok'ra." General Hammond protested.

"In that case, I have to question their competence." Buffy continued, causing gasps and shouts of indignation from the Tok'ra present.

"You would have done better?" One Tok'ra protested.

"I know I would have. But, we're all supposed to be friends here. As he is your agent, I will release him to your custody." Buffy pointed to the Tok'ra that she recognized as Martouf thanks to info taken from Carter's mind. "Now, shall we proceed with the treaty signing?"

Soon enough, the President arrived as well, and the treaty was signed successfully. Buffy spent the next few hours mingling with the various officials while she expertly dodged the Tok'ra's attempts to probe for information on the Imperium from her. Sure, with the new treaty they would learn a lot more about the Imperium, but she saw no reason to make their job easier.

Soon enough, the reception was over, and both the Tok'ra and the President had departed, leaving only Buffy and the SGC personnel.

"Next time, Ms. Summers I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from shooting holes in my base." Hammond pointed to the large holes in the wall caused by bolt rounds.

"The Sisters are trained to respond quickly to threats. Martouf was lucky I got him out of the way when I did." Buffy shrugged. Of course, the only reason she did so was to keep her image before the SGC.

"I suppose you'll be leaving now?" Hammond asked.

"Actually, I wanted to have a word with Teal'c before I did, if that's alright with you." Buffy replied.

"May I ask what about?" Hammond frowned.

"I'll let Teal'c fill you in on the details once we're done." Buffy said.

"The choice is yours, Teal'c." Hammond turned to the stoic Jaffa, who only nodded.

"Lead the way, then." Buffy grinned and followed him towards his quarters while her escorts vanished in a burst of light.

**AN/ I know some of the readers might say 'Why haven't they found the Initiative base if they have Asgard scanners?'. The answer is, they're not looking for them, and the Initiative has been lucky so far to avoid detection. Remember Buffy ordered a search for groups of vampires, which are practically an endangered species in Sunnydale at the moment, and the Initiative doesn't have any. With months of patrols, Sunnydale is no longer the demon-infested death trap it was in the show, and Buffy is using the town as a training ground. The discovery of the Initiative will cause significant friction between Buffy and the USA, especially the NID as the Initiative is their operation.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Well, another chapter done, and things are slowly starting to move forward. I hope you'll like my portrayal of Buffy's character, and how she develops and differs from the cannon Buffy. Without further ado, read and enjoy.**

**Chapter 21**

"Nice room." Buffy commented as she looked over the large number of candles spread across Teal'c room.

"Thank you. So, what do you wish to speak about?" Teal'c sat offered Buffy a seat and then sat across her.

"I wish to discuss the future of the Jaffa. I expect that a rebellion will start soon, correct?" Buffy began.

"It was my intention to discuss the topic with some of my fellow Jaffa soon. However, why should that concern you?" Teal'c frowned.

"Any human striving to throw off the shackles of alien rule has my full support and blessing." Buffy grinned.

"The Jaffa are not human." Teal'c pointed out.

"True, you are not genetically identical to what we would call human, but you are still human enough. And to me, that's enough. Navigators and psykers are genetically different, but they're still accepted in the Imperium. That's why I'm offering the aid of the Imperium. We will provide the Jaffa rebellion with everything you may ask, like weapons, equipment, military aid or even sanctuary." Buffy replied.

"In return for what?" Teal'c frowned. When things sounded too good to be true, they usually were.

"The permission of my missionaries to preach the Imperial Cult to the Jaffa." Buffy answered.

"We have no desire to exchange one false god for another." Teal'c spat.

"Things are not nearly as simple, I'm afraid. The nature of the God-Emperor and the reasons behind the creation of the Imperial Cult are a bit of a complex issue, going back to the days of the Horus Heresy." Buffy sighed. She knew she would have to explain a great deal to convince Teal'c to embrace the Imperial Cult.

"Contrary to His orders, a number of cults worshiping Him had spread through the Imperial Armies. After the traitor legions fled, it was discovered that the regiments that worshiped the Emperor were the most resistant to the taint. Without the Emperor's presence, the High Lords decided to establish a formal religion to afford humanity protection from the ravages of Chaos, and their gambit worked. The Ruinous Powers cannot gain purchase in the minds of the faithful."

"As for the religion itself, the main reason the God-Emperor is so revered is because he put an end to the Age of Strife. He is the sole reason humanity returned from the edge of extinction. His power and leadership managed to unite humanity in a single whole, and He was this close to ending the threat of chaos and hostile alien powers. We do not pray to Him because he demands it like the Goa'uld, we pray to Him as thanks for everything He has done for us, for everything He has sacrificed, and we pray to Him for strength and guidance when we need it." Buffy concluded. "Take this. This should explain the Imperial Cult better than I can."

She had given him the same book that Faith had given to the Bedrosians, and Teal'c took the device without comment.

"I have no intention of forcing anyone to follow the Emperor, it's better for everyone if they join on their own free will. Now, considering our ships and fighters are still being constructed, for the moment I can only offer you lasguns, armor and equipment." Buffy offered.

"How many would you be willing to provide?" Teal'c asked. While the Imperials were generous to the SGC, he doubted they would be as such to his people.

"For now, most of our factories are tied into producing the aircraft and spaceship components, so I can only provide what we have in stock. And what we have comes to about two hundred sets of armor, fifty crates of assorted grenades, and three thousand lasguns." Buffy smirked at the look of disbelief on Teal'c's face.

"You actually have that kind of equipment in stock?" Teal'c whispered. Considering the Battle Sisters and their equipment, that made the Imperials one of the strongest military organizations on Earth. All they lacked were the numbers some of Earth's nations had at their disposal.

"Lasguns are rather simple to manufacture. With some help, the Jaffa should have no trouble in producing them themselves." She shrugged.

"And you can deliver this equipment quickly?" Teal'c asked, just to be sure.

"I can have it delivered here within the hour." Buffy nodded.

"I will speak with the other Jaffa about your offer, but I have to say I am still uneasy about your religion." Teal'c admitted.

"Perhaps there is a way to lay your concerns to rest." Buffy mused. "I can use my power to guide your mind and soul into the Warp and allow you to feel the Emperor's presence directly."

"Is it safe?" Teal'c had heard about the dangers of the Warp, and wondered if he would be putting himself at risk.

"In the Imperium, I would not consider it, but here, the risk is minimal. Don't worry, we will be exposed to the Warp for only a few moments." Buffy assured him.

"What should I do?" Teal'c asked.

"Just lean forward and close your eyes." Buffy replied, and once he did, she put her hands on his temples and leaned forward herself.

"That was incredible. That was really the God-Emperor?" Teal'c whispered moments later after Buffy had released him.

"That is His power radiating from the gap between our two realities." Buffy nodded.

"You have given me much to think about, I shall contact you once I have spoken with the other Jaffa." Teal'c stood up.

"Excellent. Give General Hammond my regards." With that, Buffy too vanished in a flash of light.

* * *

"So, what did the Inquisitor want?" Jack asked once Teal'c walked in the briefing room.

"She offered help to the Jaffa rebellion. Weapons, equipment and aid." Teal'c replied.

"In exchange for what?" Hammond asked.

"She wants us to allow missionaries to preach their faith to the Jaffa."

"You said no way, right?" Jack said.

"I did no such thing, O'Neill. I have thought about it, and I think it's a good idea. For centuries, the Jaffa have fought and died in the name of their gods. Having a god attached to our cause will make it a lot simpler to gather allies and absorb defeated Jaffa into the rebellion." Teal'c explained.

"You plan on using the Emperor as a figurehead?" Daniel asked.

"That is correct. And spreading the Imperial Cult throughout the Jaffa will only undermine the Goa'uld's power when we demonstrate that the Emperor is more powerful than they are." Teal'c smirked.

"What's that you're holding?" Carter asked.

"This is a book explaining the Imperial Cult." He replied, showing them the device.

"May I?" Daniel took the device and spent a few minutes reading it. "It's a very interesting device, but I have to say if these things spread through the galaxy, there will be trouble."

"How so, Dr. Jackson?" Hammond asked.

"I've read a lot of religious texts, sir, and this one is masterfully written. It is convincing and very compelling. I'll have to study the texts in greater detail, but I can be certain that people will embrace this faith in droves, and not just the primitive worlds. Even on the advanced planets we've encountered there will be people willing to accept this religion." Daniel replied.

"Do you believe we should forbid them from sending their missionaries?" Hammond asked.

"Do we have the authority to stop them?" Jack asked.

"According to our alliance agreement, they have unrestricted use of the Stargate." Hammond sighed. "So no, if they want to preach their religion to the galaxy, we can't do a thing to stop them."

* * *

"Welcome back, milady." One of the Sisters greeted Buffy as she appeared back in Sunnydale. "The Canoness has asked me to inform you that we have found the artifacts the vampires were after. They have been gathered and destroyed. We have also recovered a number of valuables that will be sold to bolster our treasury."

"Excellent. Michelle, please find Inquisitor Maybourne and ask him to come to my office." Buffy told the girl and walked out towards her office.

"You asked to see me?" Harry walked in and sat across her.

"Yes. After today, I believe it's time for you to begin your mission." This surprised Harry.

"Your meeting with the Tok'ra went well?" He asked.

"I have certainly made an impression on them, but far more useful than that was my meeting with Teal'c. Once the Jaffa turn on the Goa'uld, he will play a key role in bringing them into the fold of the New Imperium." Buffy replied.

"You do realize we have only about a third of the projected supplies, equipment and manpower." Harry reminded her.

"I am aware of that, but we have enough to establish the base and begin preliminary recon as well as building connections across the galaxy." Buffy pointed out.

"So, when do we leave?" Harry sighed.

"In two days time. You'll be teleported to the SGC and depart from there since we're still building our own gate. From there you will leave to the world we've chosen for the outpost."

"Alright. I'll start to gather the men and supplies we'll need right away." Harry nodded and stood up.

* * *

"Maybourne, your face is the last thing I wanted to see today." O'Neill was the first to speak as Maybourne and his entourage arrived, occupying most of the gate room.

"Nice to see you too, Jack." Harry grinned.

"Colonel Maybourne." Hammond walked up as well. While he disliked Maybourne just as much as O'Neill, the man was also far more diplomatic than his 2IC.

"Actually, it's Inquisitor Maybourne now." Harry pointed to the necklace bearing the barred I resting on his chest. However, what really caught the SGC staff's attention was the familiar shape of a Goa'uld hand device on his arm.

"Is that the hand device we gave to Willow?" Sam frowned.

"Yes it is. I can't very well act like a Goa'uld without one, can I?" Harry laughed.

"How are you going to pull that off?" O'Neill frowned, wondering just what the Imperials were planning.

"That was simple, actually." This time, Harry sounded like a Goa'uld and as he smirked, his eyes flashed with a golden light.

"Now that is just creepy." Jack shivered.

"Just a few little implants, although I wasn't happy they had to remove my eyes. General Hammond, if you'd be so kind to dial to our new home?" Maybourne turned to Hammond who turned to the control room and nodded. Moments later, the gate was active and Maybourne's men and a squad of servitors had begun to move the crates of equipment and supplies through.

"They really replaced your eyes?" Sam's voice was a mixture of shock and curiosity, since Harry's eyes didn't look any different than before.

"I wasn't happy about it, but once you get used to them, they're not so bad, and they do have a few extras in them.

"Milord, it is time to depart." The Celestian assigned to Harry's squad approached them. Buffy had included the girl and three Battle Sisters to ensure the protection of the base as well as Maybourne's loyalty. There was hardly a better deterrent for betrayal than a Celestian with a multi-melta.

* * *

The planet they emerged on was an arid, rocky wasteland with sparse vegetation. It was outside the domain of the Goa'uld, and had no resources worth the notice of the various galactic powers, which was why it was ideal for an outpost. Its relative proximity to Earth via hyperdrive was an additional reason why it was chosen.

"Sir, the recon drone reports a large underground river two miles due east from here. The area is also mostly flat and solid." One of the men reported once Harry had arrived.

"Good. Begin moving the equipment immediately. I want to have at least one sleeping quarters setup by sundown." Harry ordered and moved to help his men with the crates. It would take a few days to get everything unpacked and set, and once that was done, the hardest part of his job would begin. Infiltrating the Goa'uld trade network and establishing himself as a prominent merchant. For that purpose, they had a number of exotic goods from Earth as well as masterfully crafted jewelry, but the most expensive resource he had was the crate of weapons grade naquadah molded into small plates to be used as currency. According to intel gained from the Tok'ra, one or two plates could buy a high quality slave.

* * *

"This way, my Lord. I have the finest slaves from over a dozen worlds." Harry walked through the market with an arrogant swagger, flanked by two of his men dressed as Jaffa bearing the mark of Apophis. With his demise, many Serpent Guards became mercenaries.

The slave market Harry was walking through was just what one would expect from such a place. The feeling of despair and hopelessness hung in the air like a cloud of foul gas, making it hard to breathe. Of course, Harry managed to hide how much he loathed this place. For a Goa'uld, the sight of humans suffering was supposed to be enjoyable. The trader leading them was a rat-like oily looking human, and although Harry would have wanted nothing better than to blast the man through a wall or three, the fact that he was the biggest slave trader in this particular sector meant that he would have to reign in his impulses, at least for now.

"Feel free to inspect my stock. I guarantee they are all quite healthy, ideal for lotars or even hosts." The trader led him to his slave pens, where over a hundred men and women and even children were gathered.

'At least he keeps them clean and fed. Probably so he can ask for more money.' Harry mused as he walked through the slaves. Four guards walked with him, waiting to separate his selection from the main stock. For this particular trip, Harry focused on young girls ranging from sixteen to twenty; mostly to give the Battle Sisters in his group something to do. It was a bit annoying having one of them hovering near him all the time. He had no intention of betraying the Imperium, since as an Inquisitor when the New Imperium was formed in this galaxy he would have an enormous amount of power and influence, and Harry would be a moronic idiot to endanger such a rosy future.

"That's enough for now. Let's discuss the price." Harry had chosen two dozen girls and walked up to the merchant to haggle.

"A fine selection, my Lord. You have a keen eye for a good slave." The oily trader grinned at him, making Harry want to bash his teeth out.

"I am prepared to offer one plate of naquadah for each of them." Harry pulled out the heavy piece of metal from a pouch on his belt. Between him and his guards, they had about thirty.

"One for each is far too low, I'm afraid. I want two for each." The merchant countered.

"That is far too high. I'll give you twenty six plates." Harry raised his price.

"Thirty eight."

"Thirty and not a grain higher." Harry said firmly, making his eyes glow to remind the man he wasn't dealing with another human.

"Very well. Thirty plates of naquadah for the lot." The merchant sighed in resignation.

With the transaction done, Harry watched as the group of girls was strung together on a long chain which was given to his guards. Once out of the market, it was only a few minutes trip to the Stargate, and if Harry had any doubts about fighting the Goa'uld, watching the string of young women walk after him with their heads hung low would have cleared them in an instant. If there was one thing Harry had embraced from the Imperial Cult, it was the idea that it was mankind's divine mandate to rule the galaxy, and seeing humans treated like animals made his blood boil.

* * *

"Welcome back, milord. I see your trip was a success." Two guards armed with hotshot lasguns emerged from hidden bunkers dug near the gate. Their weapons and carapace armor made it quite clear they were not Jaffa.

"Indeed it has. I've begun to make some contacts in the market. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to introduce these young ladies to their new superior." Harry grinned and turned towards their base.

Harry found the Celestian inside the chapel they had built there, and one of Xander's best disciples, his old schoolmate Larry served as their priest. While not as eloquent as Xander, his zeal and dedication was quite remarkable, which was why he was given such an important mission.

"Milord. I see you have brought new disciples for our illustrious Order." The Celestian grinned widely at the surprised girls. They expected to be taken to some Goa'uld's palace, not some sort of strange complex in the middle of nowhere, and they really didn't expect to see a woman wearing a set of strange and intimidating armor.

"I leave them in your capable hands, Sister." Harry said and turned to walk away. He had two more trips through the gate planned for this day, and he had to pick up some items before he did so.

"I am sure you are confused and have many questions. Come, Father Larry and I will try to answer them all." Abigail gestured to the door of the chapel. Inside, one of the walls was dominated by a massive banner bearing the Imperial Aquila and beneath it was a small altar with the same symbol made from gold.

* * *

Harry made good progress over the next few days, establishing contact with a few minor Goa'uld, hoping to use them to eventually gain the ear of the System Lords they served. If he played his cards carefully, Harry could quickly become a very important Goa'uld, especially once the Callidus assassins joined his operation.

"Sir, we have a problem. We are unable to contact Earth. The Stargate won't engage a connection." One of Harry's men rushed in his office with shocking news.

"Have you tried to contact other worlds?" Harry asked.

"Yes sir. We've contacted Tollana successfully, but the gate does not engage when we dial Earth." The man replied.

"Contact the Tollan and request that they send us some food just in case. Continue to attempt to contact Earth once every hour." Harry replied feeling a bit worried. He wondered what sort of mess his homeworld was stuck in this time.

* * *

As the weeks rolled on, Harry became increasingly worried, as were the Tollan and their other allies. There was also the fact that the most complex components for their new ships could be made in the Factory-Cathedral on Earth, and without them, the ships would be nothing more than rather impressive hunks of metal. Harry's group continued to attempt to contact Earth on the hour every day while Harry maintained his work, forging contact with traders and minor Goa'uld, hunting for information on inhabited worlds abandoned by the Goa'uld, rumors of planets opposing the System Lords etc. Fortunately, despite the loss of contact with Earth, the Tollan and their other allies were more than willing to provide supplies in exchange for some of the intel he had gathered.

It was a small surprise how profound an effect the common cooperation and exposure to the Imperial Cult had on the previously isolated human worlds. Already the lines dividing them had begun to blur as the people began to see themselves as human first, regardless of origin. Harry also grinned when he thought about the quickly spreading following of the Cult Mechanicus among the Tollan. Despite the fact that they initially looked down on the religious tones of the AdMech, Willow had countered their arguments with the cold logic and empirical evidence with skill worthy of a true follower of the Omnissiah, and ever since, the Tollan had begun to embrace this religion in such numbers that Harry was confident that Tollana would one day become a Forge World.

"Sir, we've managed to contact Earth. They were surprised when we told them we've been trying to contact them for over four months." Harry looked up to the man that rushed in his office.

"Did they say what was the problem?" Harry stood up but first took a data crystal from his computer which contained his full report on his activities over the past four months. Already, his group had grown by over two hundred men and women, and his original group was worn ragged while they worked on training and educating them all. He urgently needed more men, and that was the first thing his reports said.

"Some sort of ancient machine trapped them in a temporal loop. Apparently, only Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c were aware of it, although the Lady Inquisitor and Chaplain Harris had at least partial awareness of the phenomenon, most probably because of their connection to the Warp." The man reported as they walked towards the gate.

"I knew Jack was probably mixed up in the whole thing. That man is a real magnet for trouble." Harry laughed. Still, now that they had contact with Earth again, he could get more men and supplies, not to mention the fact that he had over four months of work to report on. With the whole mess Earth was in, he was sure Buffy could use some good news.

"Alright, I better go and talk to Buffy, then see to it the SGC is fed enough scraps not to feel neglected." Harry smirked. Considering the frequent clashes Harry's men had with the SGC, working around that particular organization was quite satisfying for them. Once the gate was active and their IDC sent, Harry stepped through and into the familiar surroundings of the SGC.

"Welcome back, Inquisitor. I understand we've been out of touch for a while." Hammond welcomed him.

"Indeed you have been, General. With your permission, I need to brief my superior on my activities over the last four months. When I return I shall of course share with you all relevant information." Harry grinned and used his implanted vox unit to send a signal to the Asgard satellite.


	22. Chapter 22

**My sincerest apologies for the long wait, but I hope that you'll like how this chapter turned up, and I hope that the next one will come out sooner. Without further ado, read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 22**

"I understand it's been a while since we've spoken, eh Harry?" Buffy greeted her fellow Inquisitor.

"Indeed it has, although I was told you were aware of the loops." Maybourne commented as he sat down.

"We weren't quite aware of them; it was more like a really strong sense of deja-vu. Still, I am pleased at how well you've handled yourself. It seems I made the right choice with you." Buffy grinned.

"Well, if I am to continue to progress at this rate, I will need some supplies and an increased staff." Harry handed her a data crystal containing his requisitions. "There's also the matter of how much of my intel data is to be shared with the SGC."

"I'll see what we can send you right away and you can expect the rest to arrive within the week." Buffy took the crystal and inserted it in her terminal. "As for the SGC, I will go over your reports and compile anything they should know."

"Good. If you don't mind, I'm going to rest a bit. Today's been a bit busy." Harry stood up.

* * *

The following day Harry returned to his base on the planet that was at first jokingly dubbed New Cadia, but the name had stuck, while Buffy was busy briefing her command staff on his progress.

"…and while the amount of recruits from the slaves is rather low, we can expect a much greater increase in manpower once the missionaries begin their work." Buffy concluded.

"It seems Maybourne was indeed a good choice for an Inquisitor. So, what do we do now?" Xander asked.

"If I may, a lot of the Sisters have been growing restless lately. The veterans are eager for a greater challenge, while the novices are burning to prove themselves worthy of the position in the Order." Faith joined in.

"Well, I might have something to help with that. First, it's time we fulfilled our obligation to the Watcher's council, so we'll be sending Catrina and a squad of Sisters to Europe. The second is something a bit more fun. It's time we sent a message to all the demon scum encroaching on Holly Terra that humans can and WILL fight back. The demon dimension of Pylea is the perfect target. It has a sizable human population, and its natural resources are relatively untouched." Buffy began.

"It will take months before we see any return from this operation, not to mention the sizable amount of resources we'll need to invest in it." Willow commented.

"True, but as we are not facing any emergency at this time, I believe it is worth pursuing. Faith, have Catrina select the nine best Sisters we have and have them gather sufficient equipment for long-term operations in Europe. Once they're ready, we'll transport them to a ship waiting for them off the coast of California. The rest of the Order is to divide into squads of twelve for the invasion of Pylea. Make sure there is at least one, preferably two armored Sisters in every squad, issue flack armor and lasguns to the novices, and prepare all the vehicles we have."

"You'll be pleased to know we've managed to complete one of the Rhinos. The rest of the squads will have to use the trucks." Willow grinned.

"Excellent. Xander, Faith that will be your ride. Four Sisters and myself will remain here to main patrols. Giles, how long will it take to prepare the portal spell?" Buffy turned to her Watcher.

"A few hours if we're to open one at the necessary scale. You do know the vehicles will most likely end up scattered all over Pylea?" Giles replied.

"That works to our advantage. You have four hours to prepare for everything. Dismissed." Buffy adjourned the meeting and everyone rushed away to prepare for the upcoming slaughter.

* * *

In Pylea it was a nice, sunny day and the inhabitants of its various settlements went about their daily lives unaware of the impending doom. It all began with the sight of a portal opening in one of the larger villages. A number of demons had gathered at a safe distance, eager to see if they'd get the opportunity to obtain a few human slaves for themselves, since arrivals from Earth were the most common.

What arrived was a large vehicle as big as a house, releasing terrible roars and belching smoke. The trailer was covered with a tarp, but the back was open, and as soon as the truck stopped, the demons saw a tall, armored woman jump off, holding a massive weapon that had a large hose leading to a heavy backpack on her back.

"In nomine Imperator." The Sister's voice boomed from her helmet as she leveled the heavy flamer at the nearest group of demons and released a huge wave of white-hot sanctified prometheum, burning the green skinned demons to ashes in seconds.

A second armored Sister followed, this one holding a bolter and chainsword. "Forward Sisters, cleanse and purify in the Emperor's name." With that order, the squad of novices joined the fray, firing their lasguns at anything that looked even remotely inhuman.

The scene repeated itself at many other villages as more trucks emerged from the portals, with the Sisters quickly hunting down not just the demons, but also any human foolish enough to resist them or try to help a demon.

* * *

"I can't believe humans would actually try to aid demons. Did we really have to kill them, Sister?" One of the novices turned to the Celestian leading her squad through the Pylean village.

"Show no mercy to the traitor and the heretic, Miriam, lest you embrace their taint into your heart." The Celestian admonished her.

"Yes Sister Aki." Miriam bowed her head and therefore was a bit surprised when they turned around a house and something bumped into her. She staggered back, but fortunately, didn't fall down. She looked up, and saw two women crawl back from them, sheltering five green-skinned children, which on closer inspection looked a lot like the two women protecting them.

"Abominations." Miriam raised her lasgun, but the Celestian raised her arm, halting her.

"Sister Miriam, please give them the benediction first." Aki told her as she raised the heavy flamer in her hands.

"May the Emperor's holy flame wash away your sin and purify your souls." Miriam recited as the whole squad watched calmly as Aki raised the flamer and ignited the pilot lights. "Please, don't…" One of the women whispered.

"Amen." Aki squeezed the trigger, sending a stream of white-hot fire at the group. In seconds, there were only charred remains before the Battle Sisters. "Let's move. Our work is not done yet."

* * *

Of course, not every squad emerged near a settlement. Some ended miles away from any form of civilization, but even then, there were plenty of targets for their weapons, as there were plenty of bestial demons roaming Pylea.

In a forest, a rather disheveled looking woman was busy picking berries from a bush, adding to her small pile of nuts and a few roots by her feet when a portal began to activate a few feet away from her. With a frightened gasp, she dropped the handful of berries and dove into the bushes just as the truck emerged. She watched nervously as the Sisters jumped off the vehicle and spread across the clearing. Seeing the vehicles and technology she never thought would see again distracted her a bit, so she failed to notice the armored woman that walked up to her hiding spot, using the suit's auspex to locate the hidden woman.

"Hello there." The woman jumped in fright as she saw the armored figure with glowing red eyes staring down at her. Still, despite the armor's frightening appearance, the woman didn't feel like she was in danger.

"What's your name?" The Battle Sister asked her and held her hand out to help her up.

"Fred." The woman spoke in a voice raspy from disuse.

"I'm Abigail. Would you like something to eat?" Fred nodded quickly, her stomach joining her agreement with a loud rumble.

"Mary, give her a ration bar and see if you can dig up some clean clothes for her." Abigail turned to the nearest Sister wearing flak armor.

"At once, Sister." The woman rushed towards the truck.

"Do you know where the nearest settlement is, Fred?" Abigail waited until Fred was finished with the ration bar and had changed into her new clothes before questioning her.

"Five miles that way." Fred gave them a direction.

"Thanks. Alright, Sisters, we have demons to smite so get to it, double time." Abigail commanded, and everyone quickly piled back into the truck only this time, they had an extra passenger, and as she looked at the smiling and reassuring faces of the girls surrounding her, Fred realized that her nightmarish existence was finally over.

* * *

The Rhino carrying Faith and Xander along with a whole squad of armored Sister was one of three squads that emerged near the capitol, and the heavy transport wasted no time in heading right for the castle that contained Pylea's leaders while the other squads spread out and began the purge of the city.

"This scum is hardly worthy to face me in battle." Xander scoffed as his force spear cut a demon soldier in two. Between his weapons, the numerous blessed icons on his armor and its Aegis field, the demons were lucky to survive more than a few seconds once they caught his eye.

Next to him, Faith only laughed as she finished hacking a soldier in two with her chainsword, while her inferno pistol vaporized a second.

"I'll pass your complaint to Buffy. Now get back to killing before I end up killing more than you."

"Dream on, Faith." Xander chuckled as the pair worked their way through the city's garrison and towards the castle. Said structure's gate proved only a momentary obstacle for Xander as a burst of fire from his bolter followed by a running shoulder slam let him pass right into the castle courtyard.

"Come scum, face the Emperor's fury." Xander roared and rushed the terrified soldiers, showing no mercy for the demons facing him.

* * *

At the end of the day, the only demons in the areas struck by the Sisters were either dead or dying, while all the humans were rounded up. The priests were quick to explain their presence to the divine guidance of the Emperor, with temples being constructed in record time. At the same time, the Sisters were busy rounding up all demon supporters, sympathizers and dissenters and holding public executions accompanied by curses and condemnations for the guilty by the priests. In short, the human populace was being indoctrinated to the Imperial Cult in an extremely fast and harsh method, one that had been tried and tested on countless worlds over ten millennia in the Imperium.

"Magos Lee, welcome to Pylea." Faith greeted Bill Lee, who had arrived to begin and oversee the exploitation of Pylea's resources. The man examined his surroundings carefully, his augmetic eyes quickly noting every detail. Dr. Lee, as the oldest member of the Cult Mechanicus had received many implants so that he could better serve in his role as Magos Technis. His body floated above the ground thanks to an anti-gravity generator and his arms were replaced with robotic arms holding a variety of tools which were joined by six mechadendrites further enhancing his ability to work with machinery. His face was hidden by a helmet that integrated a mind-impulse unit and a rebreather. Surrounding him were a half-dozzen adepts, all clad in red robes and in various stages of augmentation.

"Thank you, Canoness. You have secured a site for our use?" Magos Lee's voice was also artificial, having replaced his voice box to allow him to speak binary.

"Yes, Magos. We have cleared the castle in the capitol for your use. It is both secure and spacious enough for a factory." Faith informed him.

"Lead the way, then." Faith did so, leading the cyborgs through the city and into the castle.

"Magos Lee, this is Winifred Burkle. She was rescued by one of our squads and she was most useful in aiding us in the removal of the slave collars the local demons used on the human slaves." Faith introduced Fred to Bill.

"Nice to meet you." Fred said nervously, feeling a bit intimidated by the man that was more machine than man.

"I see you have talent. The Cult Mechanicus is always open to those who have the skill and vision to embrace the Omnissiah's will." Bill said and floated away, followed by his entourage, leaving only one Techpriest with Fred.

"Did he offer me a job?" Fred frowned.

"Indeed he has." The Tollan woman grinned at her. "If I were you, I'd take it. You wouldn't believe the technology we have access to."

With an eager nod, Fred joined the woman and towards a new life in the Priesthood of Mars.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Buffy had received a somewhat unexpected call from Cordelia.

"Cordelia, I trust everything is going well in L.A.?" Buffy grinned lightly. Cordelia had certainly proven herself a most capable leader.

"I'm having a little trouble, actually. A bunch of demons have come into town and they seem determined to cause trouble. Now, they're mostly focused on half-demons, but a lot of humans will probably end up caught in the crossfire." Cordelia explained.

"So, you need some reinforcements?" Buffy asked.

"I'd appreciate it. A dozen Sisters will certainly make an impression on the scum." Cordelia grinned evilly.

"I'm afraid you have somewhat lousy timing. Almost the entire Order is in Pylea, securing it for our use. What I have is needed here to maintain patrols. However, I do have an idea. This situation is an excellent opportunity to field test E-001." Buffy smirked as she imagined the havoc that would unfold.

"You want to send the Eversor here?" Cordelia exclaimed, shocked at the idea, and she wasn't the only one.

"I'm afraid that's all I can spare. Provide me with deployment coordinates within the hour." With that, Buffy hung up and stood up to inform Dr. Novak to prepare Martin Kemp for his first mission.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Cordelia and her team was standing at a safe distance from the building that served as the HQ of the part of the Scourge currently present in L.A.

"You really think this Eversor thing can take them all out himself?" Doyle turned towards Cordelia.

"Positive. Just wait and see." Cordelia grinned. It wasn't long before the screaming, explosions and the endless echo of gunfire began to emerge from the structure. Fifteen minutes later, one of the upper storey windows burst open, and the team could see two figures had fallen out. The group watched mesmerized as a rather large man clad in black armor landed on top of the uniformed demon falling beneath him, turning his chest into crushed pulp due to his weight. He then looked up, the skull-like helmet he was wearing sending shivers through the group before he disappeared in a flash of light.

"Alright, let's move in and take care of the cleanup." Cordelia ordered, breaking the team from their stupor.

The inside of the building caused more than one person to lose their dinner as they saw the results of the Eversor's passing. The walls were practically drenched in blood, with demon parts strewn about the structure.

"How did one man do all this in just fifteen minutes?" Kate Lockley, an LAPD detective that had joined the group after helping Angel hunt down a demon exclaimed in shock.

"The Eversor is a very efficient and very capable weapon. Besides, it looks like they were all gathered in one place when he was teleported inside. Alright, set the charges and place the barrels around the building. I want this place burnt to the ground before the police decides to investigate." Cordelia commanded and her team quickly spread out, leaving barrels of promethium and remote bombs across the structure. Ten minutes later, the building was engulfed in a massive inferno, consuming it and all the demon corpses within.


	23. Chapter 23

**Well, after the long dry spell that precluded the previous chapter, I was surprised how quickly I managed to get this one out. Not much action yet, but I feel this chapter will set the tone for the future interactions between the US and the New Imperium. So, read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 23**

A few days had passed since the Order of our Valiant Sister had attacked Pylea, and Buffy couldn't be happier at the results. Already the largest deposits of useful resources nearest to the capitol had been located, and plans were being made for their exploitation while Imperial priests and missionaries were busy educating the local humans about the Emperor and mankind's divine destiny. Also, using a combination of magic and technology, they had begun to construct a permanent portal to Pylea to facilitate a better transfer of goods and personnel to and from this dimension.

She was also pleased with the test of the Eversor unit, and she was already making plans on future missions for the devastating warrior.

However, the string of good fortune seemed to come to an end when she experienced a peculiar dream that night. She saw a little girl, singing a creepy nursery rhyme about Gentlemen, right before she saw a creepy looking figure looming behind her. Feeling a bit shook up, she went to the monitoring centre in their HQ.

"I have seen nothing out of the ordinary all night, milady, and the patrols have reported nothing either." The Sister on duty reported. Despite this, Buffy didn't feel very reassured, and the rest of her sleep was broken and fitful as her senses kept telling her something was wrong.

* * *

When she woke up the next day and found herself incapable of speech, the sense of unease only increased, and the fact that every single member of the base had also lost their voice didn't help much.

"The satellite has not noticed any new demons coming into town, or any larger gatherings of inhuman creatures all week. This means that whoever is responsible for the loss of our voices may be employing mystical means to hide their movements." Willow spoke, using the vox unit she normally used to speak binary to report. They found quickly that while natural voices were silenced, artificial voices had no trouble speaking.

"By silencing the town, they've effectively crippled our patrols, considering we rely on vocal communication to coordinate our movements into town." Buffy was also capable of communication, even if hearing her voice in your head was not the most pleasant sensation.

"We can still patrol, milady." The most senior Sister used the hololith to write out her words.

"We can't risk sending out armored units in case civilians see you, and it's too dangerous to send you out without armor. Therefore, I am suspending patrols for the time being." Buffy let out a silent sigh. This whole situation was one huge clusterfuck. 'And just when things were starting to look up.'

"How are we to determine the culprits behind this attack, then?" Willow asked.

"I'll be patrolling, with the Sisters standing by. Once I've located the culprits they'll move in via teleport and we'll clean them out." Buffy commanded.

* * *

That evening, Buffy went into town, dressed casually with a few daggers hidden about her person while her trusty bolt pistol was safely hidden inside her purse. However, despite her best efforts, the night bore no fruit, as her elusive prey not only managed to avoid her thanks to whatever method they used to conceal themselves from their scanners, but they appeared to be one of the demonic creatures that were invisible to her psychic senses.

It was a surprising revelation to discover that not every demon left a trace in the Warp, and Buffy was cursing up a storm when she realized she would have to run all over town and hope she stumbled onto whoever was behind this whole mess.

After spending a few hours of sleep in the morning, she was given more bad news. Two people were found this morning with their hearts cut out which left Buffy in a positively murderous mood. For months she had managed to prevent even a single human from dying from demonic causes in the city, and now something just waltzes in and kills two people while she was out on patrol no less.

The following night, Buffy went out once more, determination burning in her eyes as she stomped across the vacant streets of Sunnydale. 'Whoever is behind this will die very, very slowly.' With thoughts of slow deaths through torture swarming through her mind, she continued her hunt for her elusive prey.

This night her fortune seemed to turn for the better, as she saw strange figures around the city clock tower. With an evil grin, she ran forward, her bolt pistol barking loudly into the silent night, leaving three shambling figures in pieces on the tarmac. The suit wearing figure that seemed to be leading them turned around just in time to get the butt of the pistol in its toothy face before three rounds turned his head and torso into a pool of blood and meaty chunks.

Turning to the tower, she was about to activate the homing beacon for the Sisters when she sensed humans rushing towards her position, no doubt attracted by the loud gunfire. 'Fuck. I guess I'll just have to do this the hard way.'

With that, she rushed in, firing her weapon at anything inhuman while she used a large dagger to fend off anything that came too close for her pistol. A few minutes later, she managed to fight her way to the top, where she found three suited demons along with a dozen of their shambling underlings. As she inserted the final clip in her pistol, she cursed herself for not taking more ammo when she caught sight of a small box which she recognized from her dream. In a flash, she had raised her gun and hit the box, shattering it to bits and releasing a misty substance that quickly dispersed. A moment later, she felt her voice return, and with a roar she rushed forward, eager to slaughter every last one of them. Said roar turned out to be more than enough as the loud shout caused the demons' heads to explode, leaving her standing in a room full of corpses.

* * *

"Well, that was unexpected." Buffy commented.

"You can say that again. Turn around slowly and drop your weapons." An unknown voice spoke behind Buffy and as she turned, she caught sight of a half dozen soldiers all aiming their guns at her.

"Who the fuck are you?" Buffy frowned. She knew every hunter group in the region, and none of them operated in Sunnydale.

"We're the ones asking the questions, lady. Now, drop your weapons." The leader of the group snapped.

"What do we do with her?" One of the men asked his leader once Buffy's knife and gun were taken from her.

"We take her back to base. You saw how strong she is. There's no way she's human." The leader replied. Buffy scowled at that comment, but allowed herself to be led away. After all, while the soldiers had taken one of her knives, she still had four more as they didn't want to risk searching her, and she still had her necklace and its conversion field generator, which would give her an edge in case it came to a fight.

"Whoa, look at this thing. It gives the phrase 'hand cannon' a whole new meaning." One soldier examined the bolt pistol, clearly impressed by the large caliber weapon.

"Maybe the eggheads will figure out how to copy it and get you one." Another soldier joked as the group walked away from the clock tower.

* * *

Her surprise when she was led into a rather large underground complex was quickly hidden as she realized that the people leading her were not some private operation. This was a government backed installation, and that little discovery sent the wheels into her mind into overdrive as she contemplated the situation.

"Riley, you better have a very good reason for bringing a civilian here." A woman in a labcoat greeted the squad.

"I do, ma'am. We found her in the city clock tower, fighting over two dozen subterrestrials." The man identified as Riley began. "And she was winning."

"Interesting. I don't think it will do much good to ask what you are, then?" The woman approached Buffy with an intrigued look in her eyes but remained at a safe distance.

"I am many things. Before I answer you, may I ask one question?" When the woman nodded, Buffy continued. "Is this facility backed by the US government?"

"I don't know why you'd care about that, but yes." The woman replied.

"Excellent." Buffy grinned and activated the homing beacon in her bracelet. A moment later, several flashes of light deposited a dozen armored Battle Sisters around her, all of them aiming their weapons at the shocked soldiers and scientists around them.

"Are you alright, milady?" One of the Celestians asked as she raised the heavy bolter in her hands towards the squad surrounding Buffy.

"I'm fine. Move out and secure the facility, while I have a chat with our hosts." Buffy grinned at the looks of complete shock of everyone present.

"Now, you said this is a government backed installation. I find that surprising, considering my alliance with the US explicitly states that I must be informed of any such facility in this city. I guess the memo got lost in the mail, huh?" Buffy smiled, but the grin didn't reach her eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The woman in charge finally found her voice.

"Perhaps you do and perhaps you don't, Maggie Walsh, but either way, we'll soon know the truth. Now, you will tell me everything." Buffy grinned evilly as her eyes began to spark with energy.

* * *

"That's everyone, milady. We have also cleared out the demon filth they've managed to gather." One Sister reported to Buffy an hour later, leading the last group of staff of the Initiative.

"Well done, Mary. Please take Dr. Walsh away from the others and grant her the Emperor's mercy. I'm afraid she was too stubborn for her own good." Buffy spared one last glance at the vacant-eyed drooling woman at her feet before the Celestian dragged her away.

"What should we do with the rest, milady?" Another Celestian asked.

"Keep them under watch for now. I need to speak with the president first before I make any decision." Buffy replied and returned back to base to arrange a meeting with said man. Due to her position, it was quite easy to arrange something, and the next day she found herself in the oval office, sitting across the US president.

* * *

"Inquisitor Summers, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?" The president asked.

"I am here to discuss the Initiative." Buffy began. "Which is a US government backed demon fighting organization currently based in Sunnydale."

It took a few moments for the words to register in the man's mind, but when they did, his face paled. "What do you want?" The president sighed as he rested his head in his hands.

"I see you understand the severity of this situation. This is after all a major breach of our alliance, which I can easily use to reclaim every shred of technology we've shared with you, and also take control of the Stargate program." Buffy smirked.

"I don't remember anything like that in the agreement." The president frowned.

"You really think I would leave an asset like that in the hands of a non-allied power? The Stargate is too important to my plans to simply leave it with you after such an obvious breach of a very beneficial alliance. However, I am willing to overlook this indiscretion provided we can come to terms on an additional agreement." This time, Buffy's expression turned predatory as if she was saying 'You'll give me everything I ask and there's nothing you can do about it.'

"First off are the members of the Initiative. I want them all transferred under my authority and moved to New Cadia via Stargate. I have big plans for them. As far as any relatives are concerned, they're dead." Buffy began.

"That won't be easy, but doable. What next?" The president sighed, knowing that was the least of the demands.

"I'd like to renegotiate the amount and cost of the raw materials you're providing to us, as well as request the following amounts of foodstuffs delivered to our complex in Sunnydale." Buffy handed him a list containing various long-lasting produce.

"You could feed an army with this much supplies." The president exclaimed.

"What I want it for is not your concern." Buffy grinned. The supplies would go a long way to win over the people of Pylea. "Let us move on to the final request I want. As you know, the Goa'uld have two major advantages over us. They have more ships and vast armies of Jaffa. With the shipyards on Tollana, we will soon overcome the first, but on the ground, we're still far too outnumbered. Even elite soldiers like the Battle Sisters will fall against such numbers. I propose the formation of a penal legion that will offset this advantage and also take on the brunt of the System Lords' armies."

"And where do you intend to recruit these soldiers?" The president asked.

"The US alone has a prison population that is counted in the millions. A few thousand convicts won't even make a dent. The best choice would be repeat offenders, criminals that are serving twenty years or more. If they survive ten years of service, they'll have earned a full pardon. Consider that the carrot for them." Buffy replied.

"And what would the stick be?" The president frowned.

"The Commisars attached to their legion, of course. Their guns will keep them in line, along with other methods. We know how to keep such scum in line, Mr. President." Buffy shrugged.

"Still, what you propose will not be easy to organize or keep secret." The president pressed on.

"There will be plenty of time to iron out the details, Mr. President, considering it will take us several months to arrange all the assets necessary. We are talking about thousands of hardened criminals all gathered in one place with access to weapons." Buffy grinned.

"Why does that fail to reassure me?" The president snapped.

"Once they leave Earth, they are no longer your concern. They'll follow orders even if we have to shoot one in ten of them to keep them motivated. Scum like that is available by the truckload anyway." Buffy shrugged, showing the usual Imperial contempt for lawbreakers. After all, in the Imperium, the law was set by the Emperor himself, and to go against it was to go against Him.

The president was shocked for a moment by such callous outlook on human lives, but he then reminded himself who he was talking to. It seemed he discovered a new facet of Buffy's person with each of their meetings and it seemed the position of strength always seemed to shift away from him. "I guess you leave me no choice."

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement, Mr. President. We can iron out all the details at a later date. Have a nice day." With that, Buffy stood up and vanished in a burst of light.

* * *

The president took a few minutes to compose himself before he called his secretary. "Tell Senator Kinsey to get his ass over here yesterday."

An hour later, a somewhat confused senator sat across the president, wondering why said man was glaring at him.

"Senator Kinsey, you're probably why I called you here so suddenly. Tell me, do you know anything about a covert project called the Initiative?" The president was watching carefully, and so managed to catch the slight widening of Kinsey's eyes.

"I am unaware of any project of that name, sir." The senator replied quickly.

"Considering your position in the NID, I find that hard to believe. Either way it doesn't matter, since I was discussing the project with Inquisitor Summers an hour ago." The president said with an icy tone.

"And how did it go?" The senator was unpleasantly surprised to learn that the Imperials had gotten wind of the project, but the full implications were yet to hit.

"I got bent over sideways you stupid twat. How do you think it went?" The president roared, breaking Kinsey's train of thoughts.

"Wha-" Kinsey tried to reply but the president cut him off. "You knew for a fact this facility's operations were in direct violation of our agreement with the Imperials and you did nothing about it. Now they have us by the short and curlies and there's nothing we can do about it."

"Now, I want this to be crystal clear, and make sure every single person in the NID knows this. Sunnydale is off limits. You don't go within a hundred miles of the city without a damn good reason and even then, you let them know about it a week in advance. Am I understood?" Kinsey could only nod and left as quickly as he could. It seemed Dr. Walsh fucked up really badly despite all the precautions they had taken to keep the Initiative off the Imperial radar.

* * *

While Washington DC was rumbling with the aftershocks of Buffy's visit, just twenty hours later saw the entirety of the Initiative personnel transferred to New Cadia via Stargate, where they were personally greeted by Harry.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New Cadia. I can tell you right away to forget your old lives right away. The people you were on Terra are gone. From now on, you are who we tell you to be. For all technicians and scientists let me introduce Magos Osbourne, who will be your new superior. As for the military staff, this is Colonel Makepeace who will be your new commander, with a few exceptions. Riley Finn, Forrest Gates and Graham Miller, step forward." Maybourne grinned at the still bewildered group of people he was handed by Buffy. True, it would take some time to get them up to speed, but they were skilled and in time, they would be loyal. Right now, the threat of death would keep them in line.

"You three have been handpicked by Lady Inquisitor Summers to begin specialized training. Gentlemen, let me welcome you to the Vindicare temple."

**AN/ The idea of certain demons having no presence in the Warp came to me from the episode with Buffy's demon roommate, which was a soulless demon, which would make her invisible to Buffy in a way similar to a Pariah, but I felt that the effect is not as pronounced considering even non-psykers can notice the unnerving presence of Blanks. As to how the Gentlemen managed to disable the Imperials so effectively, the simple act of disrupting communications can cause havoc in even the most organized and disciplined army, and they were relying too heavily on their vox units. I hope you liked the way the Initiative and Kinsey got owned.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Another chapter done and the story progressed a little further. We're still a ways off until any serious action, but we're getting there. So, read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 24**

Over a week had passed since the president had met with Buffy, and the man was now meeting with a number of advisors that were 'in the know', one of which was General Hammond.

"I have been thinking a great deal over the past week about the situation with the New Imperium, and I can tell you this. We seriously underestimated them, and now we're paying for it." The president sighed.

"Perhaps we should have struck against them from the start and seized their assets while they were still establishing themselves." A man wearing a black suit suggested.

"By the time we discovered their existence, their facility was too well entrenched to assault. The only way to take them out would be to bomb the facility, but that would have only led to the destruction of the advanced technology stored within." General Hammond countered. "I have to agree with you, Mr. President. Ms. Summers has demonstrated an unexpected skill for manipulation. While we were distracted by the advanced weapons and technology provided at very low costs, she managed to usurp a number of valuable alliances with other human worlds, and most importantly, positioned a close ally at the very heart of the SGC. With the recent revelations, Kendra's position in my base doesn't seem so benign anymore."

"She put that damn war machine there to make sure the SGC can never threaten them and we fell for it, just like with Colonel Maybourne." Colonel Simmons, who took over most of the NID cells and projects after Harry's fall from grace, joined in the discussion.

"What about him?" The president sighed, remembering that particular headache.

"I know firsthand just how capable and resourceful Harry Maybourne is. I've personally read his intel reports, and we can be certain that what he reported to us is not even half of what he reported to Summers. And don't forget, when the Tollan finally complete the spaceships they're building, the New Imperium will become a significant military power." The colonel replied, adding to the grim thoughts of the assembled group.

"Should we change anything concerning the presentation next week?" Hammond asked, changing the subject. In a way, he felt responsible for the whole situation considering he was the one that ordered that fateful mission in Sunnydale.

"No. For now our stance towards the Imperials remains unchanged, but in the meantime, discretely look for any possibilities we might use to curb their influence." The president sighed, feeling that this order had come a little too late.

* * *

The event that General Hammond mentioned was the demonstration of the recently completed Imperial fighter that would soon make lives difficult for the Goa'uld.

"Inquisitor Summers, Archmagos Rosenberg, welcome." General Hammond greeted the two women as they and their two escorts appeared in a flash of light on the edge of the empty runway. A number of people were already present, including a number of generals from the Pentagon and SG-1.

"Thank you, general. Shall we get this show on the road?" Buffy turned towards Willow and with a second flash, a large aircraft appeared on the runway.

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present the Avenger." Willow began, feeling a bit exposed without most of her gear. For this particular event, Buffy had asked her to keep her appearance mostly human, and Willow had obliged, her outfit consisting of carapace armor beneath a dusty red robe and only two mechadendrites hovering over her shoulders.

"Impressive." O'Neill commented, already salivating on the idea of taking it out for a spin.

"The Avenger incorporates technological principles from several sources to create a machine that is far more than the sum of its parts. The frame consists of an adamantium structure covered with plates of ceramite. This makes the craft's armor especially resistant to energy weapons which as you know are predominately used in the galaxy. The shape of the structure was based on the Lightning fighter used in the Imperium, but the Avenger has been somewhat modified from this design pattern." Willow began to introduce her creation.

"How fast does it go?" Carter asked, examining the sleek aircraft with a curious eye.

"The Avenger incorporates several means of propulsion, depending on whether it operates in space or on a planet. For intra-atmosphere operations, it retains the original afterburning turbofans used by the Lightning that give it superior speed and maneuverability in the air as well as a significant operational range. In space, it uses a combination of rocket propulsion and an inertial propulsion system. The Avenger also contains a relatively slow hyperspace generator which still allows it a level of mobility the Goa'uld fighters lack and it is of course VTOL capable." Willow replied. "The craft uses a plasma generator to provide power to all the relevant systems."

"What about weapons?" One of the generals asked.

"There are several different weapons systems. The first is the twin-linked lascannon on each wingtip. The second is a nose mounted assault cannon that I believe will be extremely effective against lightly armored craft like the Goa'uld Death Gliders. And finally, the Avenger has eight weapon hard points that can equip a variety of missiles for use against both ground and airborne targets. At the moment it is equipped with eight Skystrike missiles." Willow answered.

"The Avenger is normally crewed by a pilot and a gunner, but a single person can operate it as well if necessary. Also, we have designed an additional design pattern called the Vanguard which sacrifices the hyperspace engine for a shield generator. This pattern is intended as fighter support for our capitol ships. Now, shall we proceed with the test flight?" Willow concluded her introduction and thus cleared the way for O'Neill and Teal'c to head to the Avenger and begin the battery of tests that would demonstrate the effectiveness of the fighter.

After the conclusion of the tests, plans were made to deliver the two completed Avengers to a USAF base, with more to follow as they were completed.

Overall the presentation went well, even though Buffy could see that the generals gave her a wary eye. Dismissing the matter for the moment, Buffy was eager to return back to the base and see the results of another vehicle test.

* * *

The techpriests had pushed themselves hard, and had managed to complete not just the Avengers, but a Thunderhawk as well, and said ship was sent on a trip to New Cadia that very morning.

"Did the ship perform well?" Buffy addressed the ship's crew once she was back.

"All systems performed optimally. Inquisitor Maybourne sends his thanks for the supplies we have delivered." The pilot replied.

"What did Harry send back?" Buffy asked.

"A dozen Jaffa for Dr. Novak and a number of Battle Sisters. We are currently reloading the craft for a second run."

"Excellent. I want everything marked for New Cadia delivered as soon as possible. Shall we see what Dr. Novak is up to?" Buffy turned to Willow.

The first thing anyone noticed when they entered Dr. Novak's lab was the strong smell of antiseptic, mixed with the lingering scent of blood, and when the two women entered, they could see Dr. Novak examining a disected Goa'uld larva, while behind her, two servitors were cutting up a Jaffa. From the look in his eyes, he was still alive even though his torso was open wide. A second Jaffa was tied to another examination table, shivering slightly and drenched in sweat.

"Inquisitor, Archmagos, welcome. I must thank you for these specimens. I was starting to run out of projects to run." The woman grinned as she pulled out an organ from the larva and brought it to one of the scanning machines.

"What are you working on?" Willow asked.

"I am conducting an examination of the Goa'uld parasite to fully determine its physiology. This also allowed me to observe the effects of the parasite's removal from a Jaffa. Finally, I am conducting a vivisection to fully determine the differences between humans and Jaffa as well as the precise effects the Goa'uld they carry has on them. Once I am done, I will be able to formulate a viable replacement for the parasites. I shall use the rest of the specimens to determine which solution will be the most effective." Dr. Novak explained calmly while the servitors she controlled remotely began to extract the Jaffa's various organs as the man finally died.

"Inform me the moment you have a usable drug or if you require more specimens." Buffy told the Magos and walked out, while Willow remained to discuss Lindsey's work.

* * *

As the next few days promised little excitement, Buffy decided to use the opportunity and visit New Cadia.

The feeling of pride she felt when she stepped out of the Thunderhawk was intense and quite justified as she stared at the sprawling complex that had spread across the barren valley in the last few months.

"Lady Inquisitor, this is an unexpected pleasure." Harry greeted her, and Buffy noticed out of the corner of her eye everyone in the command center sit up a bit straighter.

"I found myself with some free time and I decided to take a tour of your fine facility." Buffy grinned.

The complex was indeed quite impressive, and it said a lot about Harry's competence and skill. There were several sectors, all serving to prepare the future servants of the Imperium for their future duties. New Cadia served as the primary training facility for all non-Terran Imperials, with the most promising candidates being sent to Earth for further training. The first group of buildings were used by the Battle Sisters and the Ministorum priests, led by Sister Superior Abigail Cole and Cardinal Larry Blaisdell respectively. Of course, due to the need for a proper command chain, a lot of people that had joined had received rather impressive ranks and titles, which were both a burden and a blessing, as those saddled with the sudden weight of responsibility had to prove themselves capable of enduring it. Buffy had made it very clear she wouldn't tolerate incompetence or abuse of power, and so far, the people she had picked seemed to handle the weight of duty well.

Abigail was a bit young, having just turned nineteen, but she was very focused and dedicated, having been rescued from an abusive home by the Watcher recruiters. She held Faith in very high regard and worked hard to prove herself. She also had a rather friendly face and a soft voice that Buffy felt would help with the novices recruited from Goa'uld slave markets.

Larry was a bit of a surprise choice, but since the fight with the mayor he seemed to have undergone a personal revelation and had embraced the Imperial Cult with zeal that was almost as strong as Xander's. It was in fact Xander's recommendation that Larry be chosen as Cardinal when Buffy discussed the topic with him. So far, Larry had handled his duties well, providing for the spiritual needs of the whole complex and overseeing the training of priests, preachers and missionaries on a rapidly expanding scale. He knew full well the scale of the task that awaited the slowly expanding Ecclesiarchy and he was determined to be ready for it.

The Mechanicus adepts were handled by Oz, who was thoroughly exploiting the fact New Cadia had no moons and thus quite easily avoided his werewolf curse. When Buffy had entered the complex, he was busy explaining some technological concept to a large group of adepts who were so engrossed in the subject they didn't even notice her presence. Deciding to let them work, Buffy walked out to take a look at the final sector.

* * *

The soldier camp was led by Colonel Makepeace, who was a former SGC member and Harry's number two man. It was here that Buffy once again encountered the former Initiative soldiers, being run through the training of Imperial Storm Troopers and the use of Hellguns.

"How are the newest recruits doing?" Buffy asked as she and the Colonel observed the training.

"Well, there's a reason they're using training power packs. There's a lot of bitterness and resentment in that bunch, and from what Magos Osbourne told me, the scientists are even worse." Makepeace sighed.

"Then I assume the project is proceeding as planned?" Buffy asked, alluding to a special project only herself and a select few of Harry's men were aware of.

"Yes. We have installed the devices in their beds and are transmitting the subliminal programming every night." The Colonel replied. "I have to ask though, how effective will this method be?"

"That's what we're trying to determine, Colonel. This technology is usually used by the Mechanicus to teach adepts in their sleep. Its potential for reprogramming has never been fully explored." Buffy replied.

"Then, this whole operation could be for nothing?" The Colonel frowned.

"I am hopeful, but even if it doesn't, we'll put these men to good use. After all, there are a lot of heavily defended Goa'uld worlds out there. No point in wasting the faithful when there are so many infidels at our disposal." Buffy smirked, causing a slight shiver to pass through the man. "And how are the assassins doing?"

"They have been subjected to a total mind wipe and reprogramming. Magos Osbourne assures me that the process was a success and we have begun to put the trio through the paces. Since we're still waiting for their equipment to be manufactured, we're training them in stealth and sniping. It will take some time to get them ready for field work, though." Makepeace replied.

"You mean beyond the time needed to produce their equipment? Manufacturing the stealth suits and Exitus rifles will take weeks at best, perhaps even months, depending on the workload of the Mechanicus." Buffy frowned. She needed the Vindicare temple active and out on missions in the galaxy, keeping the Goa'uld from threatening her operations.

"Well, the mind wipe might have been a mistake, ma'am. While their bodies are used to sniper activities and their minds know what to do, their movements are not fluid, and it takes them too long to perform each action." Makepeace commented.

"The mind wipe was of paramount necessity, Colonel. I will not have a Vindicare assassin go rogue on us. They're too dangerous to take that risk. This problem can be rectified?" Buffy's tone said that it better be.

"With proper training and exercise, yes ma'am. It will just take us a few more weeks." Makepeace was quick to assure her.

"Excellent. I also have a new project for you. I need a hundred Commissars trained and ready for duty within the next six months." Buffy ordered.

"A hundred Commissars? Wha…" The Colonel began to ask, but then seemed to reconsider. "They will be ready, ma'am."

"Excellent. Keep up the good work, Colonel." Buffy grinned and walked away. She spent the next few hours talking with Harry about a variety of topics until she finally decided it was time to head back.

* * *

"Welcome back, milady. I trust your trip was pleasant?" She was greeted by one of the novices once she disembarked from the Thunderhawk.

"Indeed it was. Anything happen while I was away?" Buffy asked as she began walking towards her office.

"Nothing serious milady. We received intel from our backdoors in the SGC of a possible Goa'uld on the loose on Earth, but the situation has been resolved." The novice informed her happily.

"Then the abomination is dead? How did it get here?" Buffy frowned.

"It was already here, sealed in a canopic jar, and it's not dead. Thanks to the alert, we managed to reposition our satellite and caught the creature and its ship just as it reached orbit."

"I want a full report delivered to my office within the hour. Once I've taken a shower and read it, I will speak with the prisoner."

* * *

The red-headed woman looked up from her seat on the bed in the small cell she was sitting on when the door opened and a petite auburn haired girl walked in. Despite her unassuming appearance, the red-head could see by her eyes and posture that she was in command here.

"I am Inquisitor Elizabeth Summers. Welcome to my facility, Dr. Gardner." Buffy smiled and sat in the chair one of the novices brought in for her.

"What do you want from me?" Gardner frowned.

"Well, I was reading the report on your capture, and it got me thinking. The fact you have Osiris in your head is unfortunate for you, but it does present an opportunity for me." Buffy began.

"He really doesn't like this device you've put on me, although I am very grateful. To even think of the things he made me do…" The woman tapped the Tollan suppressor device that was placed on her chest.

"You have been terribly used, and I can sympathize. Still, how would you like to avenge yourself, not just on Osiris, but on his whole vile race?" Buffy gave her a predatory smirk.

"What do you have in mind?" Gardner frowned. Just what had she gotten herself into?

"We will perform a little procedure that will completely obliterate Osiris's mind, leaving his body an empty shell. It will essentially become just another organ in your body. This way, you will be able to pass yourself as a Goa'uld while still maintaining control of your body." Buffy began.

"You want me to be a spy." Gardner stated.

"Exactly. I have someone already working on establishing himself as a Goa'uld of some importance, but the name Osiris is well known. With our support, you'll have no trouble in establishing yourself as a power in the galaxy." Buffy replied.

"I will have to act like I really am Osiris, right? The whole killing and torture etc." The woman shivered.

"I won't lie to you. It won't be easy and I have no doubt you'll have a lot of sleepless nights because of it, but in the end, your efforts will help us in eradicating the Goa'uld once and for all and free billions of humans from their rule." Buffy used her best supportive voice, hoping to convince the woman. She had no intention of allowing Osiris to remain in her one way or another, but the opportunity was too good not to make the attempt.

"I'm not a fighter, Inquisitor." The woman spoke weakly.

"I won't throw you in the snake pit unprepared, Sarah. You will receive training and support before we send you out there." Buffy assured her.

"I will need some time to think things over." Sarah sighed. Buffy just nodded and walked out the cell.

* * *

"They are both sedated. You may begin when ready, Inquisitor." Dr. Novak commented as she began to work on the symbiote wrapped around Sarah's spinal column, injecting it with special drugs to facilitate its mental degradation while keeping it in perfect health.

Meanwhile, Buffy focused her power and sent it like a striking dagger deep into the psyche of Osiris. Buffy's mind, trained and honed to combat daemons who were far more powerful and terrifying than a Goa'uld could ever be dropped down on Osiris like a freight train, crushing its feeble defenses with contemptuous ease and obliterated all traces of conscious thought, leaving only the most basic, autonomous functions of its brain. The psychic lobotomy took less than thirty minutes, and although relatively simple, it was still quite exhausting, even for a psyker of Buffy's ability.

"It is done." Buffy said briefly.

"Confirmed. The parasite shows no trace of control over the host. The reversed neural link has been successfully grafted between it and the host. She should have full control over all of its abilities." Dr. Novak added.

"I'm glad she decided to help us. Make sure no trace of the surgery is visible. Once she's awake, run her through a complete line of tests and prepare her for a trip to New Cadia. I'm sure Harry will appreciate the help." Buffy grinned.

* * *

A few days after that eventful day found Buffy sitting in her office, reading through the daily reports when her door opened and Faith walked in, dressed in casual clothes.

"Faith? When did you come back?" Buffy was surprised, since her fellow Slayer was supposed to be on Pylea.

"An hour ago. Things are going really well on Pylea so I decided to take some time off. And then I thought, why don't I take you along for the ride?" Faith grinned.

"I'm sorry but I don't have the time. I have too much work and…" Buffy began but was cut off by Faith.

"By the Emperor, Buffy, you really need to loosen up. When was the last time you've gotten laid?" Faith snapped playfully, causing a slight blush to spread on Buffy's cheeks.

"That's none of your business, Faith." Buffy stammered.

"Come on, I won't tell anyone. I can tell it's been a while, unless…" Faith paused before her grin turned predatory. "You're a virgin. I don't fucking believe it. Miss big shot Inquisitor is a virgin."

Faith's deep, mirthful laugh was cut short as Buffy leveled a smoldering glare at the girl.

"Sorry, Buffy. You know I'd never tell anyone. But you have to admit, you've been working yourself really hard. You need to blow off some steam soon." Faith pressed on.

"Oh, alright. I guess you won't stop nagging me until I say yes." Buffy sighed and stood up.

"You bet I wouldn't. Now, to the mall." Faith struck a dramatic pose, causing Buffy to break into a brief giggling fit.

A few hours later, the two girls were walking out of the Sunnydale mall, laden with a number of bags filled with clothes, shoes and cosmetics.

"Wow, I've forgotten how fun it was to just cut loose and go on a massive shopping spree." Buffy laughed as she began to load her purchases into the car they had used to do drive into town.

"I especially liked the 'no limit' option on our credit cards." Faith added.

"Well, I think we restrained ourselves at least a little." Buffy smirked as she closed the booth of the car and walked up to the front of the car.

Just as she reached the door handle she heard a loud gunfire and felt something heavy slam into her.

**AN: Sorry about that little cliffie, but I hope you'll forgive me once you see where it leads. Anyway, I decided to finally add a little scene that's been rolling in my head for the past few months. I'd like to know how many of you will get the joke.**

Omake:

We join Rupert Giles in the home of his girlfriend Jenny Calendar, entering into a heated debate about Mr. Giles's fidelity towards the lovely Ms. Calendar.

"…for the last time, Jenny, there's no other woman. I just came here to take you on a date. I didn't expect the bloody Imperial Inquisition."

The door is thrown off its hinges as Buffy and Harry Maybourne rush in, dressed in full Inquisitor garb.

"NOBODY expects the Imperial Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise... surprise and fear... fear and surprise... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency... and a fanatical devotion to the God-Emperor... Our *four*... no... *Amongst* our weapons... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise... Can we do it over?" Buffy' shout is replaced by an embarrassed look at her Watcher and former teacher.


	25. Chapter 25

**Alright, another chapter done, and things are slowly heating up. I have a feeling some of you may object to what I did in this chapter, but rest assured, it will be necessary as the story advances. So, read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 25**

The taxi driver eyed the ominous looking factory complex belching smoke nervously as he stopped his car.

"Here you go, sir, Red Sand Industries. You sure you want to get out here? I've heard a lot of weird stories about this town." The driver asked as he received his fare and handed his customer his change.

"I'm sure." His fare, an older bald man wearing simple pants and shirt nodded and walked up to the factory gatehouse.

"Good afternoon." He greeted the young woman sitting inside.

"Can I help you sir?" The girl's tone was bored, but her eyes kept a very sharp look on him and the man noticed that one of her hands was kept just underneath the desk, most likely gripping a hidden weapon.

"My name is George Hammond. I'd like to speak with Ms. Summers." The man replied.

"One moment please." The girl picked up her phone and spent a minute talking quietly. "An escort will arrive shortly for you. Wait here."

A few minutes later, another young woman arrived and simply gestured for him to follow as she led him towards the command complex.

* * *

The first thing Hammond noticed when he walked inside the structure was the soft, echoing song that filled the halls. While the words were unrecognizable to him, the feeling of loss and sadness in the melody were palpable.

Finally, they walked into the building's chapel, and the source of the song was revealed. The structure was packed with girls, all of them on their knees, heads bowed low as they sang a mournful choir. There were puddles of tears beneath most of them, and from the looks of it, Hammond guessed they've been here for a while.

The reason for this somber ensemble was the body of a black-haired woman Hammond did not recognize that was placed on the chapel's altar.

It seemed his query noticed his entrance first as he suddenly found Buffy standing next to him.

"General, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?" Buffy's tone was weary and her haggard face was streaked with tear marks.

"I take it this is a bad time?" Hammond asked. He didn't know what had happened here, but he could sense it meant trouble.

"Follow me. We can talk in my office." Buffy led him away from the chapel. In the office, the funeral choir was only a faint echo.

"Do you mind telling me what happened? Who was that girl?" Hammond asked. He felt that his own problems could wait a bit.

"That was Faith Lehane, the Canoness of the Order of Our Valiant Sister. Almost three days ago she was killed when she saved my life from a sniper." Buffy replied in a pained whisper.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Hammond's tone easily showed his sincerity.

"Thank you, general. She will be missed greatly. She was a very unique individual. The Order won't be the same without her. You saw how they mourned her, didn't you?" Buffy said.

"I could tell they've been at it for a while. She meant that much to them?" Hammond asked.

"They've been in that chapel from the moment she was placed there, and their numbers have only grown as word spread. Some of them are fighting hunger, thirst and fatigue in order to remain in the chapel. To the Order, Faith was like their mother, an ideal they could look up to and strive to reach. I still remember when she came here. She was a broken thing afraid of her own shadow. But she overcame her weaknesses and became a woman I was proud to call a friend and fellow Slayer." The pride in Buffy's voice was almost tangible.

"You two were close." Hammond noticed how Buffy's voice sounded when she spoke about Faith.

"Yes, I considered her one of my closest friends. She was probably the only one that treated me normally, and for that I will be eternally grateful. She kept reminding me that I was more than just an Inquisitor or the Slayer. She reminded me that I was also human." Buffy smiled sadly. "And it was because of this she is dead."

"What do you mean?" Hammond frowned.

"The day she was killed, she came here, insisting I take some time off and relax. After I finally gave in, she took me shopping in the mall. The assassin struck just as we were heading back. She had managed to see the shooter before I did and pushed me out of the way just as the shot was fired. The bullet passed through her throat as she fell. By the time I brought her here, she was dead." Buffy explained, tears welling up in her eyes at the memory.

"I don't suppose you know who was behind this attack?" Hammond asked, already having a suspect in mind.

"It was the NID, of course. No one else has a reason to go after me. I have the Techpriests looking into the matter, but it seems they went old school on us in this plot. No digital trace linking the NID with this exists. Still, they should thank their lucky stars I still live. If I had died, command of all Imperial assets would pass onto Inquisitor Maybourne." Buffy smirked as Hammond winced. Since the man was off-world, it was easy to forget the terrifying authority he now wielded.

"Still, the Sisters are furious, and they're out for blood. I'm keeping them on a leash until their rage simmers down, but I'll tell you, I wouldn't want to be a demon in this town about now. Now, what brings you here, general?" Buffy asked.

"Well, you're not the only one with NID troubles. Over two weeks ago, the NID approached me, asking me to reconsider some of my policies. I politely told them to go to hell. A few days later, two men with the proper papers picked up my granddaughters from school and drove them home." Hammond began.

"A crude but effective tactic. I'm surprised they had the balls to try it." Buffy commented.

"Well, I got the message and a few days ago, I have officially retired from my position in the SGC. Since then, I am told things have gone to hell in a handbasket there. You're the only one I could think of that has the influence and the inclination to help me." Hammond added.

"Making a deal with the devil you know, huh?" Buffy grinned. "Don't worry, general. All I want is you back in command of the SGC. You are an effective commander with a well established reputation."

"How do you plan on accomplishing that?" Hammond asked.

"First, let's make sure the NID can't give us anymore trouble, then we'll…" Buffy paused when she noticed something. The mournful tune that filled the building had stopped, and she could hear cheers and the unmistakable hymns of praise to the Emperor.

"Something has happened." Buffy stood up and rushed to the chapel.

* * *

"By the Emperor." She whispered when they entered the chapel and saw what was going on. Every single Sister was on her feet, cheering loudly or taking part in the hymn filling the chamber and the reason for that was the sight of Faith, alive once more, floating a foot above the ground with a pair of large white etherial wings growing from her back. Her black hair had turned snow white, and her eyes blazed with golden light. Her body too radiated a faint, golden glow.

"How?" Hammond whispered. He wasn't a stranger of having people rise from the dead, SG-1 did that often enough for the novelty to wear off, but after three days?

"The Emperor has resurrected fallen martyrs and endowed them with a measure of His power when He felt a more direct intervention was needed. I didn't expect He could do so here, or even be inclined to do so. I guess I should learn not to underestimate Him." Buffy chuckled and walked up to Faith, who had landed, her wings fading from sight but the glow surrounding her remained.

"Thank you." With that, Buffy threw her arms around Faith, happy that her friend was back.

"The Inquisitor has a heart after all." Hammond commented when he noticed Xander standing next to him.

"Best not tell anyone. We don't want to spoil her image." Xander chuckled and walked forward, eager to witness the arrival of a Living Saint to their small group. Already, he could imagine the damage their weapons could do just by being blessed by Faith, not to mention Faith herself. With the kind of holy energy she radiated, demons would burst into flame just by being in her general vicinity.

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but how and why?" Buffy asked once she released her hug on Faith.

"After I saved you, I felt pain, then I slowly drifted away and found myself in a formless void. It was like walking through a thick mist. Then I saw it. His light blazed a path for me, and I found myself standing at the foot of the Golden Throne." Faith began. "The Emperor took some time to acknowledge me, and He would often pause between sentences, sometimes even words, but eventually, He managed to explain that He had an offer for me. I could ascend to heaven and receive my final reward, or return and become His weapon in this galaxy. For me, the choice was simple. I had to return to my friends and family."

"If the Emperor felt a Living Saint was needed here… The Tarot." Buffy exclaimed. "I've been casting it for the past few days, trying to divine a reason for this attack and all portents showed me the same thing. A storm is coming."

"He said so as well. Fortunately, we still have plenty of time to prepare. Oh, and I also have one more thing, given to my by the Emperor himself." Faith grinned and opened her right palm, showing three small pieces of golden metal.

"Throne on Terra. Those are shards of His armor." Xander exclaimed. He had the memories of seeing one when the Terminator Captain of his unit was repairing his damaged Crux Terminatus.

"Yes. One is for you, one for Buffy and one to bolster the spirit of the faithful." Faith grinned.

"I'll see what Willow can make with them. Please excuse me." Buffy walked out, followed by general Hammond.

"Mistress, my heart sings when I see you walk amongst us once more." Catrina, now dressed in Faith's armor knelt before her and held out the chainsword that belonged to Kendra and Faith.

"It is yours now, Catrina. You are my chosen successor, as Canoness and as Slayer." Faith grinned.

"I shall lead our Sisters in His name, but I can never replace you, mistress." The girl whispered.

* * *

"That was certainly impressive." Hammond whispered once they were back in Buffy's office while Xander had veered off to deliver the armor shards to Willow.

"And worrisome. A Living Saint is a powerful asset. Their presence has turned the tides of countless battles. I don't know what's coming, but the Emperor's message is clear. We're not ready for it." Buffy said grimly.

"Something far worse than the Goa'uld then?" Hammond's face was equally grim.

"I'd assume so. We'll have to increase our efforts considerably on all fronts, since we don't know just where this enemy will come from. Still, we must be smart about this and focus on one issue at a time or risk being overwhelmed. With this revelation, I can no longer afford the same level of tolerance I've shown to the NID as I have." Buffy sighed. While she understood the necessity, she still disliked killing humans.

"What do you intend to do?" Hammond asked, even though he felt he was better off not knowing.

"We have the names and locations of a number of high-ranking NID members. Tomorrow, I will dispatch Sisters to apprehend them, after which they will be offered the chance for confession and absolution." Buffy replied in a tired tone. The last few days took a serious toll on her, and it didn't look that would improve in the next few either.

"Meaning interrogation followed by execution." Hammond really wished he didn't ask, but for the people who threatened his granddaughters, he felt a rather small amount of compassion.

"I will also put some pressure on the President and Senator Kinsey to get you back in the SGC. I will have to brief Harry on the latest developments, and also contact Techpriest Felger and see just what is going on at the SGC. You are welcome to stay here until I can arrange for transport for you, general." Buffy offered.

"I need to get back to Los Angeles. I used the excuse of a family trip to come and speak with you." Hammond stood up.

"Then allow me to shorten your trip by teleporting you to our L.A. facility. I'll let them know to expect you." Buffy stood up as well and gestured for the man to follow her.

* * *

Almost two days later, Buffy felt that she had managed to catch up on current events and had arranged to meet with the president. The man didn't sound overly pleased, but he agreed to the meeting. Since she had a bit of time before the meeting was to take place, she decided to check on their prisoners.

"You won't get away with this you bitch. We'll get you for this." A man snarled at her from his cell as she walked inside the detention area.

"Cling to your delusions of power if you wish, Major and let them comfort you in your final hours. The fact remains, you will tell us everything you know." Buffy's tone was frigid as she stopped before the man's cell. "And there's nothing you or anyone else can do to change that."

"Start with him first. Make sure he begs for the Emperor's mercy before you grant it to him." Buffy turned to the few Sisters she had managed to train as interrogators.

"With pleasure, mistress. Would you care to observe?" One of the Sisters took a small black box and placed it on the man's chest as soon as the other two secured him to the interrogation table in the middle of the detention block so that the victim would be in full view of all other prisoners.

"I suppose I can spare a few minutes. Activate the exruciator." Buffy commanded and with the touch of a button, the torture device activated, sending a mass of ultra-thin wires deep throughout the man's body.

"Name all NID operatives in your cell, Major." The Sister leading the interrogation began.

"Fuck you." The Major snapped. In response, the Sister pressed a few buttons on the excruciator, causing him to howl in agony.

"Again, name all NID operatives in your cell." She asked again. When the man refused to speak, she gave him another jolt.

"I admire your resilience Major, but it is futile. You will tell us what we want to know. Hit him again, Wendy." Buffy's face remained calm as the man howled and thrashed in agony.

"Well, I should leave. Try to process at least one more after this one if you're able." Buffy got only an affirmative nod from the Sisters as they continued their grizzly work.

* * *

"Ms. Summers, may I ask how these fools messed up this time?" The President turned to the other two occupants of the room, namely Senator Kinsey and Colonel Simmons.

"Nothing serious, just a few bad calls. Like forcing General Hammond to retire by threatening his family for example." Buffy smirked as the President sent a glare at the two men.

"George Hammond is one of my best generals and a much better man than you two will ever be. You stay away from him and his family or I might just give into temptation and ask Ms. Summers to deal with you her own way." The President snapped at the two men, making them cringe from the threat.

"I thrust General Hammond will be back where he belongs soon?" Buffy asked.

"I'll have him reinstated at the SGC as soon as we're done here. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Was there anything else you wanted?" The President asked.

"A couple more. I also wanted to discuss the little bomb project currently underway at the SGC." Buffy continued.

"That bomb is our best option of sending a clear message to the Goa'uld that we're not someone to mess with. If you're asking us to stop it…" Kinsey finally found his voice.

"That's exactly what I'm asking, Senator. While I agree with you that we need to make it perfectly clear to the Goa'uld that attacking us will be far too costly to them, it is far too soon to send such a message. Yes, we can kick serious ass on the surface, but the Goa'uld still have massive space superiority. And until we bridge that gap, we must act cautiously. Our ships will send a much stronger message than a simple bomb sent through the Stargate anyway. Still, the weapon shows potential and it might yet see some use in the future, so I'm not really asking you to scrap the project." Buffy explained.

"I agree with Ms. Summers." The President raised his hand to silence any protests. "There's no point in provoking the Goa'uld now that they're too busy jumping at each others throats to bother with us."

"The last issue I'd like to address is the recent attempt on my life by the NID." Buffy said with a pleasant smile on her face but her eyes were hard and predatory.

"Come again?" The President blinked in surprise. The NID couldn't possibly be that dumb, could they?

"A few days ago, a sniper tried to kill me. Fortunately for all of us, the plot failed. Otherwise, I'd be dead, and you'd be dealing with my 2IC, Inquisitor Maybourne." This reminder was not received well by the three men. Harry had a huge axe to grind with all three of them.

"Yes, it seems you forgot about that little fact. And let's not forget about the hundreds of murderous female zealots which by the way are very happy your assassin managed to nail their Canoness when she pushed me out of the way." Buffy continued, making the trio pale further. "Fortunately, I am alive and keeping them on a very short leash until things simmer down. However, I had to appease them somehow, so a number of NID agents have recently been apprehended by my forces. If we uncover any illegal operations from their interrogations I will make sure to inform you, Mr. President."

"Wait, you can't just go around and arrest US citizens." The President protested.

"Mr. President, no one regrets this action more than myself. I don't like killing humans, even when it is proven necessary, but the NID have left me no choice in the matter. All of you must understand that we both want the same thing, even if our methods might differ. I don't step on your toes and I expect the same courtesy in return." Buffy gave the President a firm look.

"I will have to ask you to coordinate any future such actions with my own agencies." The President sighed, realizing that arguing over spilt milk was futile.

"Hopefully, there won't be a need for it. I do have one last issue I wanted to talk about. I'd like to invite you tomorrow to the SGC. I'm sending something special to Harry." Buffy grinned.

"Something special?" Kinsey perked up.

"Yes. You could say it is our latest weapon against the Goa'uld." Buffy smiled.

"Alright. I daresay you've gotten me curious. We'll be there." The President nodded.

"Excellent. See you tomorrow at four, Colorado time." With that, Buffy stood up and vanished in a flash of light.

"How many times do you have to embarrass yourself before it becomes unbearable, Kinsey?" The President sent one last jab at his least favorite Senator before he and Simmons left.

* * *

The next day, by the time the President and his entourage arrived, the gate room was already full. A number of SGC staff were gathered around General Hammond, welcoming back their newly reinstated CO, while to the side, Willow was busy talking to her Techpriests in sharp bursts of binary.

Buffy was talking to Kendra, surrounded by a dozen Celestians in full armor.

"Ah, Mr. President, just in time. We were about to open the gate." Buffy rushed to meet him. Unlike the simple business suit she usually wore to their meetings, she wore her full Inquisitor regalia, giving her a far more intimidating look.

"Then don't let me stop you." The President smiled, eager to see just what the Imperials would pull out their sleeve this time.

"General, if you'd be so kind?" Buffy turned to Hammond, who simply turned towards the control room. "Walter, dial New Cadia."

"Sisters, take your places." Buffy snapped the moment the gate activated and the Celestians positioned themselves on both sides of the gate. Instead of the usual ranged weapons, they were equipped with power swords, which they raised in salute.

"Everyone, it is with the highest honor that I present to you, Saint Faith the Protector, Living Saint of the Immortal God-Emperor of Mankind." Buffy shouted as Faith appeared in a flash of light, hovering a foot above the floor, her wings spread wide behind her.

"Go, and spread His light to His children." Buffy grinned when Faith winked as she passed her and floated right into the Stargate.

It took the gathered crowd several minutes to recover from the surprise, which was helped along by the sight of General Hammond giving Buffy a handful of bills.

"I told you they'd be struck speechless." Buffy smirked.

"How?" The President stammered.

"Faith was killed when she saved my life. However, the Emperor saw fit to return her to us." Buffy replied.

"You said you were sending a weapon, though." The President frowned.

"She is a weapon, Mr. President. The greatest tool we could have hoped for to disprove the divinity of the Goa'uld. With her by their side, our missionaries will be able to provide real, tangible proof of the God-Emperor's power." Buffy explained.

"My God. People will convert in droves." The President exclaimed.

"I certainly hope so. Consider the days of the Goa'uld numbered." Buffy's cheer soon spread throughout the room.


	26. Chapter 26

**Well, it's been a long wait, but the last month has been super busy for me, and while my work is not very tiring, it can be stressful and mentally exhausting. There were days I could hardly form a coherent thought, but fortunately, the busy season is over, and I will have more free time in the upcoming months, although my paycheck is expected to suffer a devastating blow. Now, this chapter is a bit shorter than the last, but the next one will be longer as I intend to complete the current season and start on the next season with chapter 28. Although mostly a filler, I hope you'll approve on some scenes, so read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 26**

The people of Cimmeria paused in their work as the rarely used Stargate on their world came to life and activated, allowing a woman wearing a brown robe and carrying a staff topped by a two-headed eagle to emerge.

Immediately, the pillar next to the gate began to hum and sent a pulse of energy over her. When she didn't disappear, the Cimmerians relaxed, but still eyed her warily.

Anya smiled lightly as she approached the gathering crowd with a light grin. "Fair met, friends. I bring you news from Midgard."

"You hail from Midgard? Then you know the warriors of SG-1." One man spoke.

"I know of them, but I am not of their tribe. Our tribes are close allies, along with the Asgard." Anya's words surprised the crowd.

"You claim friendship with the Asgard?" One man asked.

"Indeed. My chieftain stood by Thor's side in a great battle a few months ago and helped him win the day." Anya replied calmly.

"May I ask why you are here?" Another man asked.

"I am here to speak with you. I come before you as a priestess of the Allfather, to teach of his words." Anya explained.

"And if we don't want to hear your words?" A woman asked this time.

"The choice is yours. The Allfather does not seek blind servitude, but understanding and acceptance of his words. All I ask is that I be heard." Anya replied. "Perhaps someplace warmer, and after a few drinks of mead?"

This brought a wave of laughter from the crowd, who turned towards their village and soon enough the village inn was packed with people. Using some of the gold she had with her, Anya bought half of the inn's mead and shared it with the crowd.

"Tell us a tale, priestess. One of mighty warriors and great battles." One man shouted, and the others soon joined.

"Alright. A long time ago on a distant world called Fenris, the leader of clan Russ had captured a strange being…" Anya began to weave her tale.

"…and so, the great king Leman Russ knelt before the Allfather and swore his undying allegiance." Anya concluded her tale.

"An incredible tale, priestess. I would hear more of your words. Any woman that can hold her mead as you can is worth listening to." The man sitting across her gestured to the near-empty barrel they were emptying for the past few hours. This statement was met with cheers from the crowd.

"Then I shall teach you about the Allfather. Firstly…" Anya began a sermon. It was still too early to say, but she had strong hopes that this world would turn to worship the Emperor in weeks. Meanwhile, she finally found a place that served a proper drink.

'I sure went a long way in life. Not bad for a poor rabbit farmer.' Anya grinned inwardly as she finished her tankard and continued her sermon.

* * *

"Sir, we received a message from the Stargate. It was the ID marker of missionary book 11." Harry frowned when he heard that.

"Wasn't that dropped off by Kendra on that planet, what was it, Bedrosia?" Harry remembered. Imperial neural implants were a godsend considering the amount of work he had to do.

"Yes sir. The contact protocol was integrated into the books in order to allow the faithful to seek Imperial aid." His aide replied.

"I know. Send a skull probe and see what we're dealing with." Harry ordered and headed towards the Stargate control room.

"That's encouraging." Harry grinned as he watched the feed from the probe. It revealed the room was decorated with banners portraying the Imperial Aquila, and the guards observing the gate also wore the same symbol.

"Tell the Sisters to prep an honor guard, and inform Magos Oz and Saint Faith that I'd like them to accompany me." Harry turned to his aide.

"You're taking the Saint?" The man exclaimed.

"They've asked for aid. The presence of a Saint will send a clear message we're giving their situation a serious consideration." Harry explained.

"Of course, milord. I shall inform them immediately." The man nodded and rushed out.

* * *

On the other side, the soldiers guarding the gate relaxed lightly when it shut down, but stood at attention when several men walked in.

"Do you think they will send aid, Rigar?" The leading figure turned to a limping man in a brown robe.

"The book was clear, governor. 'Those of true faith need but only ask for aid and it shall be delivered by His servants.' We can only pray they will arrive soon before the situation proves unmanageable." Just as the man finished speaking, the gate began to activate once more and once active, the men watched in awe as six armored women walked out of it and took positions next to the gate.

The next to emerge was a young man covered in a red robe, with several mechadendrites waving around his form and the traditional staff-axe of the Mechanicus in his right hand.

The next man was Harry, and the sight of him quickly brought the gathered people to their knees, as they recognized the symbols of his office. The last person was a real shock however, as Faith emerged, floating a foot above the floor, her wings spread wide to send the strongest image.

"By the Emperor." Rigar whispered in awe.

"Rise. You have sent for aid, and we have come." Harry stopped before the people he guessed were if not the leaders, at least of some importance here.

"You have our endless gratitude milord, and that of our people. Though I never even dreamt of seeing a Living Saint with my own eyes." Rigar spoke first.

"I felt that Saint Faith's presence would lift the spirits of the faithful here." Harry replied.

"Indeed it shall, milord. I shall spread word of her arrival immediately, so that all of His children can stand in her presence." Rigar replied.

"Perhaps introductions are in order first?" Harry gestured for them to stand up.

"I am Governor Morol, current leader of Optrisia. This is senior priest Rigar, and my military advisor General Orim." The sole woman in the group spoke up.

"I am Inquisitor Harry Maybourne of the Ordo Xenos, Magos Daniel Osbourne of the Adeptus Mechanicus and of course, Saint Faith the Protector." Harry introduced his own little group.

"We are beyond honored by your presence, milord. When Rigar delivered the holy scriptures to Optrica, we never dreamt of what they would lead to, and it was his efforts that led to the retrieval of the gateway that allowed us to contact you." Morol gestured them to follow.

* * *

"I take it not everything is going smoothly?" Harry asked once they arrived in a lavish conference room.

"I'm afraid not. While the Optrican people embraced the Emperor's light, the Bedrosians were not as open-minded. Many still cling to the heretical teachings of Nefertum and refuse to see reason. We believe that a new war is just around the horizon, and the people of Optrisia are reluctant to fight their brothers in Bedrosia when the Imperium has so many enemies already." Morol began to explain the situation on the planet.

"I see. Well, before we decide on a plan of action, there are a few things that need to be done. Governor Morol, please kneel before me." Harry waited until the woman did so. "By my authority as an agent of His Most Holy Inquisition, I hereby grant you and your family the title of planetary governor of Optrisia, to rule in the Emperor's name, to uphold His will and His laws. Now rise and serve your people in His name."

"Thank you, milord. Myself and my family shall never forget this day." Morol replied with tears in her eyes.

"Rigar, in recognition of your efforts, I grant you the position of Cardinal of Optrisia. May you lead your flock well." Harry turned to the soldier turned priest next.

"In His name." Rigar whispered.

"Faith, why don't you and the Cardinal arrange for a suitable ceremony for the people of Optrisia? I am certain the faithful will be overjoyed to see that the Imperium is not deaf to their cries for help. It might even sway some unbelievers to embrace Him." Harry turned to Faith who simply nodded and floated away behind Rigar. While she was a fighter at heart, she realized that for now, she would have to fight her battles on different fields and with different weapons.

"Now, how can we handle the Bedrosian situation?" Harry turned to Morol.

"There are only a few key figures that are keeping that ancient heresy alive, but we can't kill them or they'll just be painted as martyrs. In fact, I've ordered every agent we have in Bedrosia to stay away from them in case they try to frame us anyway." Morol sighed.

"Targets we cannot assault unless we start a war we'd rather avoid. I see only one possible solution to this problem." Harry sighed and turned to Oz.

"Magos, I need to speak with Inquisitor Summers."

Oz simply nodded and removed an orb slightly larger than a fist from his robe.

"Who is Inquisitor Summers?" Morol asked, her curiosity overcoming her nervousness.

"She is the commander of all Imperial assets in this galaxy. Consider her the voice and hand of the Emperor, and don't let her appearance fool you. She is more deadly than a whole battalion." Harry grinned and activated the communication orb.

"Harry, this is an unexpected pleasure." Buffy's face appeared in the orb.

"I am calling on official business. A world has asked for our aid." Harry informed her.

"Considering the assets at your disposal, you wouldn't be calling me unless you wanted something special." Buffy sighed.

"Correct. I request the deployment of the Callidus Temple." Harry replied.

"You are absolutely certain of the necessity of such action?" Buffy's eyes pierced through him even through the blurry orb.

"Beyond any doubt." Harry answered.

"You need one or more?" Buffy asked.

"Two will suffice." Harry replied after a brief non-verbal communication with Morol.

"They will arrive in six hours. Prepare a full briefing package for them. And Harry, if they get killed I will be most displeased." With that, the orb shut down.

"Governor, gather every last shred of intel you have on the two most zealous leaders of the Bedrosian opposition along with any relevant info on Bedrosia and deliver it to Magos Osbourne. Oz, you'll be able to compile it into a briefing package for the girls?" Harry turned to the techpriest.

"And upload it into their implants once they arrive." Oz replied.

"Orim, provide the Magos with anything he requests. Inquisitor, would you be so kind as to accompany me on a tour of our capitol?" Morol smiled at Harry.

"It would be a pleasure, governor." Harry spent a few pleasant hours visiting the most important sites in the city before he and the governor had to return to the central government building.

* * *

The two female figures that emerged from the Stargate were certainly unique, wearing a very tight-fitting suit made of black material with only a belt with several equipment pouches hanging off it. Even their heads were completely covered, their suits giving way to a flat mask containing a rebreather and visor.

"Inquisitor, C-001 and C-002 reporting." The two stopped before Harry and saluted. Their voice sent shivers throughout the Optrisians, as it sounded lifeless even through the distortion from the mask.

"Ladies. Magos Osbourne has your briefing package. Once you're done with him, a transport will bring you as close as possible to the targets. Once there, you are to follow your given orders until completion. Afterwards, standard extraction protocols apply." Harry instructed them. The two nodded and followed Oz out of the room.

"What are they?" Morol whispered.

"Specialists. They will solve the troubles in Bedrosia with minimal bloodshed and without any visible involvement from our side. Everything else about them is restricted to the highest ranks of the New Imperium." Harry replied.

"I shall put my faith in His servants, then. There is one last matter that I wanted to discuss with you. A great deal of our industry and population has been involved in the war with Bedrosia, and the situation is the same with them. The end of the hostilities will leave millions without work and devastate our economy." Since Morol had no idea of the greater galaxy, she had to discuss the issue with Harry.

"Governor, the New Imperium has more than enough enemies to keep your people occupied for the foreseeable future, but it might be a good idea to plan for the day when that is no longer the case. The Adeptus Mechanicus would be most pleased to provide their Techpriests to your factories and help them produce weapons, vehicles and equipment we use, and I can provide several officers and commissars to educate your soldiers on Imperial tactics and doctrine." Harry paused as he got an idea.

"In fact, there is something you can do that would be of great service to the New Imperium. Inquisitor Summers had the excellent idea to suggest the formation of penal legions to take on the most difficult combat missions, thus keeping the casualties of the faithful, law abiding citizens as low as possible. What we lack however is the necessary number of commissars to maintain discipline with such rabble. We need about a thousand men and women of unshakable faith and impeccable honor to be a shining beacon of order in a sea of chaos."

"You shall have them by the end of the day, milord." General Orim, who was nearby joined the discussion.

"We should also discuss the formation of at least two PDF regiments as well as a regiment of the Imperial Guard. There may come a time soon when they'll be necessary." Harry added.

Harry ended up spending several days on Optrisia, and left the world very satisfied at the work he had managed to accomplish. Even though it would take a couple of months for the Callidus assassins to complete their mission and several months after that for the world to truly unite, Optrisia would quickly become one of the key worlds of the New Imperium.

* * *

A few days after Harry reported his success on Optrisia, Buffy received a summon to the SGC to discuss a new discovery that could give them the upper hand against the Goa'uld.

"General, how are you today?" Buffy greeted Hammond as she entered the briefing room of the complex.

"I am well, Inquisitor. Shall we get down to business?" Hammond offered her a seat.

"By all means. You mentioned you had discovered something to give us an advantage over the Goa'uld?" Buffy asked.

"You know Daniel's wife, Sha're?" Once Buffy nodded, Hammond continued. "While she was the host of Amaunet, she bore a child. This child is known as a Harcesis, and is born with the complete genetic knowledge of the Goa'uld parents. This morning, SG-1 retrieved the boy from Abydos."

"I see. May I meet him?" Buffy's mind was abuzz with plans and ideas, trying to determine any advantage from this discovery.

"Inquisitor, this is Shifu." Hammond introduced her to a young boy who was currently sitting in the hands of a woman with SG-1 sitting around them.

"A pleasure to meet you." Buffy smiled at him, although in her mind, things were very different as her senses could feel that the child before her was something far more.

"You bear great darkness and hatred in your heart." The boy spoke calmly, but with a tone of sadness.

"Hatred is my weapon, contempt is my shield against my foes. You know very well what I am and what I fight." Buffy's words surprised the SGC staff.

"I do. It is not a burden I would see you bear." Shifu continued.

"I bear it gladly, so that others do not have to." Buffy countered.

"Your spirit is as strong as your conviction, but I fear both will be tested by what is coming." Now, everyone present was beyond confused.

"We'll be ready." Buffy smirked and turned towards Hammond. "I see no advantage to be gained here, general. We don't need their corrupt memories to destroy the Goa'uld. I suggest we simply let the boy spend some time with his parents."

"Can I speak with you in private, Inquisitor?" Hammond asked with a frown. Buffy nodded and followed the man out.

"I know what you're going to say, and trust me, it is pointless to try. You have no idea what that boy is and what he's capable of. I believe his presence here is a test, to see if we will fall to temptation. Any knowledge we gain from him will be tainted by the influence of the Goa'uld personalities inherent in those memories. I don't know about you, but I don't need something like that. Either way, we already have superior technology to them and plenty of intel on their movements." Buffy spoke before Hammond could.

"What exactly did you sense about the boy? Who exactly is testing us?" Hammond managed to gather his thoughts after a few minutes.

"I have long held the belief that a higher power or powers are subtly directing our actions, although I have yet to divine the purpose of such activity. I am certain that these powers are directly responsible for the creation of the New Imperium, and if such activity was believed necessary, I don't even want to imagine the reasons they would have for it." Buffy answered.

"It is certainly a terrifying thought. I will give your words serious consideration Inquisitor. I trust you shall be leaving now?" Hammond asked.

"Actually, I'd like to talk to Kendra for a bit. It has been a while since we last spoke." Buffy smiled.

"I'm sure she'd enjoy it. She is constantly complaining about boredom, but fortunately we've had little need for her service." Hammond informed her and the two parted ways, Buffy to see her friend, and the General to discuss the latest revelations with his flag team.


	27. Chapter 27

**Another chapter done and with it, we're finally done with season 4 of Stargate and Buffy. The next chapter will start season 5 and also cover some highlights from Angel, since I feel I've been neglecting that part of of the fic. For those of you who feel I've been focusing too much on Stargate, the next chapters will have more from Buffy as Glory steps to the plate. While I admit there is little action here, I am quite proud of what I've setup for the future with this one. So, read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 27**

"You are certain about her, Major? Her record speaks against her." Hammond frowned.

"I am, sir. If she could get even a glimpse of what we do here, she will become someone we want here at the SGC." Carter replied.

"You'll have to wait a bit before you can get her through the gate, though. The Techpriests are doing a maintenance of one of the power couplings for the gate." Hammond informed her.

"We'll wait for them in the gate room if it's alright with you." Carter asked. Once Hammond nodded, Carter walked out of the room and caught the reason for her discussion, Cadet Jennifer Hailey examining the large banner hanging on the wall of the briefing room.

"1st Terran Regiment?" Hailey asked when she noticed Carter.

"A gift from one of our allies. Follow me." Carter led the girl to the outfitters.

"This looks like Imperial Guard armor. And is that a lasgun?" Hailey frowned when she looked at the equipment the quartermaster handed her although she was not issued a weapon.

"Yes it is. One of our allies makes them." The rest of the time was spent putting on the equipment, and Hailey didn't get a chance to speak until they were standing at the door to the gate room.

"You're allied with the Imperium of Man or something?"

"They're called the New Imperium of Man here." Carter grinned as a strong scent of incense and machine oil washed over them as soon as they walked in. Felger was standing by the gate, his mechadendrites flailing around one of the large superconductor couplings bringing power to the gate, with his right hand pressed against the metal, using his electoos to speak with the gate's spirit directly while his left swung a censer wafting thick clouds of incense.

Meanwhile, Angstrom was busy doing maintenance on Kendra's assault cannon, with her mechadendrites working on the various components, her right hand smearing holy oils on it while her left was also swinging a censer. A rapid stream of strange sounds could be heard coming from her throat.

"That's a dreadnought. A working dreadnought." Hailey turned to Carter in awe at the sight before her.

"Her name is Kendra. I'd introduce you to her but she is sleeping at the moment." Carter grinned at the excited cadet.

"I am done, general. You may resume operations." Felger stepped away from the gate and turned towards the control room.

"Major, a pleasure. Who is your young friend?" Felger turned to the two women.

"Cadet Jennifer Hailey." She introduced herself.

"Senior Techpriest Jay Felger. Omnisiah's blessings be with you." The man smiled.

"What were you working on?" Hailey asked.

"Just routine maintenance. That's all we usually do here. All the exciting stuff happens in the primary manufactorum in Sunnydale or the shipyards above Tollana." Felger grinned.

"I'd like to see some of that one day." Hailey asked.

"The Mechanicus is always looking for talented adepts, but it is not for everyone. Our rules are much stricter and many cannot adapt to our protocols or accept our restrictions. I can give you some info if you'd like, but if you feel that it's not for you, I would encourage you to pursue a posting at this facility. It is the only non-Imperial facility on this planet with Imperial technology." Felger informed her and walked away to aid his colleague just as the Stargate began to spin.

Even though Carter tried her best to impress the cadet during their time off-world, she was a bit shocked when she was informed that the girl quit the academy, and even further shocked when she learned from Felger that she had joined the Mechanicus.

While Carter was a bit angry, she accepted that it was Hailey's choice and that there was nothing she could do.

* * *

"What are your estimates, Felger?" Hammond was talking to the Techpriest after the latest bit of excitement. Their latest attempt to explore an unknown address resulted in a signal of sorts to be sent to their computers which caused them to overload.

"Many components will have to be replaced completely, and I would like to examine the cause of this incident more carefully, but I believe we should be back to full operational status by tomorrow." The man replied.

"Carry on, then." Hammond grinned. Even though he only had two Techpriests in his base, they did about as much work as ten technicians and most of the time when they were through working on something it actually worked better than before.

True to Felger's estimate, he and the engineering crews finished the repairs early that morning and the SGC was once again open for business.

"Repairs are complete General, although I am still trying to determine the cause for the…" Felger paused in his report when he noticed that Kendra was stirring. "Kendra is not supposed to activate without our input."

The man rushed out and the general watched cautiously as the large war machine took a few steps out of her enclosure and turned towards the control room.

"Get down." The General exclaimed as suddenly the assault cannon on her right began to spin and he and the others dove for cover, but the expected gunfire never came. He took a cautious look and saw that the dreadnought was shaking as if having a seizure. The two Techpriests rushed in at that time and quickly stepped up to Kendra, using their mechadendrites to access concealed data ports on her torso.

"You dare!" Felger shouted a second later, his face livid with rage as he pressed his hands on Kendra's shell and Hammond could actually see small sparks around his fingers while wondering what set off the usually calm man. On the other side, an angry stream of binary was heard coming from Angstrom, and from the look on her face, she was just as angry as her comrade.

On the interior of Kendra's computer systems, the scene looked a bit different. On an infinite field of grass, Kendra faced a large amorphous blob of energy, its tendrils lashing at the large war machine that she saw herself as even in her subconscious now, using her weapons to blast away pieces of the intruder. The fight was going poorly for her until the two Techpriests arrived. Felger appeared on top of a massive Baneblade tank, its many cannons spewing death at the intruder. Behind them, Angstrom appeared with five Basilisk howitzers, their heavy Earthshaker shells pounding the virus in Kendra's systems without mercy. Against the three-pronged attack, the intruding AI program didn't stand a chance.

Five minutes later, the Techpriests finally separated from Kendra and she walked back to her alcove.

"Dr. Felger, what the hell just happened?" Hammond asked as the two stumbled back to the control room.

"An Abominable Intelligence dared intrude in the holy machine and assume control. It has been obliterated, and we shall work through the other systems to ensure no trace of its vile presence remains." Felger replied.

"You destroyed it without even bothering to ask why it was here?" Carter exclaimed.

"They are anathema, an affront to the Omnissiah and are to be destroyed the moment they are discovered." Felger snapped at her. "I shall have to inform the Archmagos of this. She will decide how to proceed on this issue."

Carter seemed like she wanted to argue the issue , but a look from Hammond silenced her. Despite what she told herself and others, she was angry at Felger at seducing away what she hoped would become her protégé. Still, the day passed without any further incident and life continued at the SGC until once again that peace was disturbed.

* * *

"Sir, we're receiving a message on the IDC frequency." The tech informed Hammond. "It says comtraya."

"What does it mean?" Hammond frowned as O'Neill groaned. "It's like 'shalom' or 'aloha'. That kind of stuff."

"It was a greeting used by the artificial life form Harlan on PX3-989." Teal'c added.

"Artificial life form?" Felger suddenly emerged from behind a computer tower. "I would like to know more of this construct."

"Not much to tell. We went there, he duplicated us, end of story." O'Neill snapped off a reply.

"He duplicated you?" Felger's eyes widened. "Identical copies in an artificial body?"

"Yes. Our copies didn't even realize they were robots." Carter answered him.

"Allow it passage. I must speak with the Archmagos immediately." Felger rushed away. Hammond was a bit confused but allowed Harlan to arrive.

"I have no weapons." Harlan exclaimed when he saw the soldiers aiming their weapons at him.

"Stand down." Hammond walked in just as Willow arrived in a flash of light. Felger approached her quickly and spent a few moments in silent conversation with her.

"You are Harlan?" She approached the confused android who could only nod at the strange woman before him.

"I wish to perform a little test on you. It won't cause you any harm." Willow continued and Harlan nodded once again. Willow placed her hands on his face and her electoo gauntlets sparked to life. A few moments later, she let him go.

"It is as you suspected, Felger. You have done well to inform me of this discovery." Willow grinned at her subordinate.

"You're going to destroy him now?" Carter snapped, and Harlan took a nervous step back.

"Destroy him? Why would I destroy such a wonder of the Omnissiah?" Willow exclaimed.

"I thought you hated AI." Carter frowned.

"Artificial sentience is most abhorrent to us, but a human mind in full control of an artificial body is something that the Mechanicus has long since strived to achieve." Willow replied. "With your permission Harlan, we would like to study your technologies in great detail."

"Before that, perhaps we should discuss why Harlan contacted us in the first place?" Hammond joined the discussion.

"Well, you must help you." Harlan turned towards SG-1.

* * *

After a short explanation on how the duplicate SG-1 began going on missions through the Stargate, Harlan gave them the coordinates which SG-1 recognized.

"That is Juna, we helped them fight off the forces of Heru-ur a while ago." Carter recognized the coordinates.

"Send a MALP." Hammond ordered and watched the sleek machine roll through the gate. Unlike the older versions, the MALPs used nowadays were only half as big while still retaining their full capability and were even equipped with a multi-laser.

Moments after its arrival, the copy of O'Neill contacted them, informing them that Cronus had arrived on the planet, and while the robot Daniel was dead, the copies of Carter and Teal'c were held aboard his ship.

While they were still processing the info, Buffy suddenly appeared in the room.

"Inquisitor, this is a surprise." Hammond exclaimed.

"I contacted her. I felt she would want to know about this." Willow informed him.

"Indeed I do. General, I believe it would be a good idea to send some forces to this world. It is in our best interest to keep Cronus on that planet." Buffy told Hammond.

"Unless you tell me exactly what you intend to do, you're on your own." Hammond countered.

"I'm going to replace Cronus and assume control of his assets." This shocked everyone present. "Well, not me directly, but you get the idea."

"How?" Hammond frowned. That was a strategy they never even considered, since they had no means to pull it off.

"Leave that to me, but we must act quickly. Teal'c, I need a hundred Jaffa on this world. You think you can get them there in an hour?" Buffy turned to the large Jaffa who simply nodded.

"Willow, they'll need patches. Colonel, you'll go ahead and ensure Cronus doesn't leave. Take some camo cloaks with you, you'll be outnumbered until the rest of our forces arrive." Buffy turned to O'Neill who left together with Carter once Hammond gave his approval.

"Once they leave, I need to contact New Cadia and speak with Harry. While we're dealing with Cronus, his forces will eliminate the more troublesome underlords in Cronus' forces, thus allowing our agent a smooth transition of power and preventing the other System Lords from attacking." Buffy informed Hammond.

"And who do you intend to put in Cronus's place?" Hammond was still trying to wrap his head around what they intended to do.

"Osiris." Buffy shocked him once again.

"I thought she managed to escape." Hammond didn't like it when crucial information was kept from him, and this was one such moment.

"We managed to catch her just as her ship was about to enter hyperspace. We have dealt with the parasite in such a way as to allow Dr. Gardner full access to its abilities without her being controlled or corrupted by its personality." Buffy explained.

"I don't like it that you kept this from the US government." Hammond told her.

"Dr. Gardner asked me not to. Since she is now an Imperial citizen, she is no longer the concern of the US." Buffy replied curtly. She had a feeling that this action would lead to some friction with the US government later, but the opportunity was too good to pass up, even if it was risky.

* * *

An hour later, Buffy walked out of the Stargate on Juna to find the area around the gate full of Jaffa, all of them bearing the mark of Osiris.

"I see the patches work well." She grinned as she examined the nearest Jaffa. Even up-close, it was impossible to see that the mark was a fake. The patch was a new device based on Imperial stealth materials that was designed for Jaffa. Placed on their forehead, it matched their skin tone and covered the tattoo mark while at the same time, displaying a different, preprogrammed mark.

"It is an excellent tactic to sow dissent among the System Lords." Bra'tac, who had joined the hundred warriors Teal'c brought nodded with approval at the devices.

"And the guest of honor arrives." Buffy grinned as the gate activated once more and Dr. Gardner walked out, dressed in a rather lavish outfit with a hand device standing prominently on her hand. As she stood before the Jaffa, her eyes flashed in excitement.

"You're ready for this?" Buffy turned towards the archeologist and noticed that despite her excitement and curiosity, there was a strong sense of apprehension in her stance.

"No, but I can handle it." She replied in a normal voice.

"Free Jaffa warriors, today Cronus meets his end. March on and let none stand in your way." She shouted, and the Jaffa cheered and rushed away.

"She plays her role well." Bra'tac commented as he, along with Teal'c and Buffy followed at the back of the mob. The trio would not participate directly in the fighting, and were merely there to observe the operation. The two Jaffa with Buffy were not that happy about that, but Buffy reminded them that there would be plenty of battles in the future.

"Killing Cronus is the easy part. The difficult tasks lie ahead of her. We will have to bribe Yu and Ba'al in order to prevent any System Lords from acting against this takeover. Harry is already dealing with the more troublesome of Cronus' underlords. Once we are certain that Osiris's position is secure, we can begin to enlighten Cronus's Jaffa." Buffy began.

"When the forces of Cronus join our own, we will become a serious threat to the Goa'uld." Teal'c grinned, looking forward to the sight of Cronus's lifeless body.

"Our first ships are almost complete, and more will follow soon after. The end of the Goa'uld is within sight. We simply must work carefully unless we wish to lose all our progress." Buffy warned them.

The Jaffa rebels caught the forces of Cronus by surprise as he had minimal forces on the ground, so Osiris had no trouble reaching the central pyramid and with the help of SG-1 who had managed to get aboard the ship with the help of the captured robots were there to allow them passage. Pretty soon, Cronus was trapped on the bridge, held at staff-point by a dozen Jaffa while a rather smug Osiris sat on his throne.

"You will pay for this." He spat.

"You really think you will live past this day? Truly the arrogance of the Goa'uld is limitless. Teal'c, he's all yours." Cronus' eyes widened at the sight of the traitorous Jaffa walking casually amongst Osiris's troops, but his angry snarl was turned to a scream of pain as Teal'c pressed a pain stick in his chest.

"Bring him. He does not deserve a quick death. I swear to you on my father's name, you will beg me to kill you before I allow you to die." Teal'c spat at Cronus as several Jaffa dragged the defiant Goa'uld behind him.

"He has six hours. Sarah, deal with the rest of the Jaffa on this ship and then head towards Cronus's capitol planet and announce your takeover. Deal with any opposition and then arrange for a meeting with Yu and Ba'al. If they back you, the others won't dare to attack you." Buffy turned to the archeologist who simply nodded. With that, Buffy walked out and headed towards the ring room, accompanied by Cronus's screams.

* * *

Two days later, Sarah sat nervously in the meeting room of the Hasara space station for Ba'al and Yu to arrive. Occasionally she would finger the two rings on her hands, containing digital needlers that the station's scanners failed to detect. She hoped that she wouldn't have to use them since it would mean her death even if she took the two System Lords with her. Behind her, posing as her slave stood one of the former Initiative soldiers, chosen for this mission for his skill in unarmed combat.

When the two System Lords walked in, Sarah stood as a sign of respect while she put on an annoyed face at having to do so. Ba'al seemed to greatly enjoy his position of authority over Osiris.

"Lord Yu, Lord Ba'al, I thank you for agreeing to this meeting." Sarah began.

"Your sudden strike against Cronus was well executed and from your rapid consolidation of his territory well planned as well. Not bad for someone we thought long dead. And where is that lovely mate of yours?" Ba'al asked.

"Isis is dead. But I have not called you here to speak about the old days. I am here to speak about the future." Sarah snapped.

"No doubt you want us to give you back the title of System Lord. Why should we?" Yu asked coldly.

"With the assets at my current disposal, I could strike out independently like Sokar, but I know better than him that when one surrounds himself with enemies death comes swiftly. If I want to make my rule a long one, I must not make the System Lords my enemy. I am not asking for your support without offering anything back, of course. Lord Ba'al, I pledge the support of my forces in your fights against Heru-ur. Against our combined might, he will fall and you can have him and two-thirds of his territory once he is defeated." Sarah replied.

"You make a valid point, and Heru-ur's territory would make a good addition to my own. Very well, you can count on my support." Ba'al smirked.

"Lord Yu, I offer you a sixth of my mineral productions for the next year." Sarah turned to her other guest next.

"A third." Yu demanded quickly.

"A fifth. I will need resources if I am to fulfill my obligation to Lord Ba'al." Sarah countered. Yu spent a few moments considering her words but eventually nodded his assent.

"We will send word to all the other System Lords that Osiris is once more counted amongst our ranks. Now my friend, I believe we have a war to plan." Ba'al grinned at Sarah and gestured for her to follow him to his quarters, while Yu simply walked away towards his docked ship.

* * *

At the same time on Altair, Willow and the twenty Techpriests and adepts that accompanied her were staring at the vast complex with a mixed sense of awe and shock. While the technology was pretty advanced, it was so badly maintained that only the most essential systems were in any usable state.

"Let us ease the machine's pain." The enthusiastic cry of one of the Tollan adepts broke them of their stupor and they rushed towards the machines, eager to repair the ancient machinery.

In minutes, the air was thick with the scent of incense, holy oils and binary cants as the group did their best to fix everything in sight.

While her subordinates were busy with their work, Willow was taken to the duplication machine, where she would spend some time examining it in great detail. For such an important discovery, she would take no chances and would subject the machine to all the tests she knew to ensure it functioned properly.

Free from the risk of Chaos-taint in new inventions or discoveries, the Mechanicus was experiencing a renaissance of sorts in this new galaxy, with adepts finally being able to explore how and why things worked without worry that such inquiries would damn them and everyone around them. Usually, it could take even centuries of testing to be completely certain that a technology or production pattern was free of taint. While Willow wasn't about to be _that_ thorough in her examinations, she wasn't going to stop with a cursory glance either. And, she hoped that the examination would also help her get a better understanding in how the device functioned as well.

"It is indeed a most intriguing machine. We will have to combine the neural circuitry of your android bodies with our own technology to utilize this properly, but I foresee no problems arising." Willow spoke with the Carter replica. She and O'Neill's copy were the only ones still active, with Teal'c copy having perished helping SG-1 get aboard Cronus's ship.

"What exactly do you intend to use this for?" Robo-Carter asked.

"We will use it to allow valuable members of the Mechanicus to continue to serve the Machine God after their flesh has become too weak to carry on, or for those who have the spirit and dedication but are simply too old or weak to fully embrace the gifts of the Omnissiah. We may venerate the machines as holy, but we are still human and we must never forget or abandon that." Willow answered.

"So, when do think you're going to start?" Robo-Carter continued.

"Two Tollan volunteers have already begun constructing their bodies. I have sent them all the necessary data and they will be here tomorrow to undergo the process. Tell me, have you ever thought about upgrading yourself?" With that, the two women walked away, discussing various topics.


	28. Chapter 28

**A new chapter done, and with it, the start of a new season. While this is mostly an intro chapter, it does set things for the future. I have also been watching Buffy again over the past few weeks and I found it strange to match the characters in the show with my fic. Also, Glory will cause a lot more trouble here, which will be necessary considering the opposition she faces. Anyway, read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 28**

"Cordelia, it's been far too long." Buffy grinned as Cordelia walked in her office.

"Yeah, we haven't even talked in ages. Are you even reading my reports?" Cordelia sent a mock glare at her.

"I've got too much on my plate I'm afraid, and even with massive delegation I'm still swamped. So, if it's not end of the world, I just skim through. But, since you're here, why don't you give me the juicy details?" Buffy sighed.

"Well, as you probably know, we setup a detective agency as a front for our operations. I've recruited a local hunter group as more muscle, which is a good thing since they were a bunch of kids way over their heads. I have also made a certain arrangement with a local criminal ring that was organizing underground demon fights. We provide additional fighters and they have agreed to donate eighty percent of their profits to our cause, which I've used to ensure our financial independence from the primary group." Cordelia began.

"You didn't have to, but it is a good idea. How did you convince them to part with so much money?" Buffy knew such scum was usually very reluctant to part with their cash.

"When we caught their boss, I told him if he didn't accept, I would make his dick play with my pussy." Cordelia smirked evilly. "The boys were so cute, too. I've never seen anyone cross their legs so quickly."

"I bet he was very surprised when he met Kitty." Buffy laughed. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, this one's serious. There have been several incidents along with plenty of evidence to implicate the law firm Wolfram and Hart in major nastiness and we've uncovered ties to some rather unpleasant individuals." Cordelia replied.

"An evil law firm. What are the odds?" Buffy smiled. "Do we need to intervene?"

"It would draw far too much civilian attention at this time. We will keep an eye on them and try to head off any of their plans." Cordelia sighed.

"Alright. Well, that's enough business for one day. What do you say to a spar? With Faith away on New Cadia, I've had no decent partners lately." Buffy stood up with a smirk.

"You sure you want me to embarrass you in front of the novices?" Cordelia smirked as well.

"Milady, we have received urgent news from agent Spike." A Sister met them just as they walked out. "He says Dracula just arrived into town."

"How interesting." Buffy grinned. "We have a location?"

* * *

An hour later as the legendary vampire was busy redecorating his new home, he noticed a flash of light behind him and was surprised to see the Slayer he was after come to him.

"Well, this is an unexpected pleasure." Dracula smirked.

"Count Dracula. It is not everyday we get such distinguished guests as yourself in our humble town." Buffy gave a small bow as she watched three female vampires stand behind their master, ready to protect him.

"I am here to give you…" Buffy paused as more flashes of light erupted around her, and a dozen Celestians with heavy flamers appeared in a half circle before her, all aiming their deadly weapons at the shocked vampire. "…a very warm welcome to Sunnydale."

With that, the Sisters opened fire, bathing the quartet with blessed flames. Buffy let the conflagration continue for thirty seconds before she ordered them to stop. Once the flames cleared all that was left was a white-hot patch on the floor, however the group was surprised when a cloud of mist rose up and formed into Dracula again.

"Interesting. I didn't expect you to survive that." Buffy grinned.

"You will regret bringing servants to fight me." Dracula snarled as he turned his gaze at the nearest armored woman, but he was surprised when instead of obedience, he got an armored fist in the face.

"They are well trained to resist corruption, and their helmets are equipped with psy-occular filters. Your powers won't work on them." Buffy grinned at the downed vampire.

"And what about you?" Dracula tried one more time, but once again he found his powers failing him as he felt a powerful force slam into his mind, causing him to lose consciousness.

"Have him secured and brought to the factory. I think Magos Novak will like her new playmate." Buffy grinned as the Sisters grabbed the vampire and teleported away. While their mages worked on discovering the nature and source of the vampire's power, Magos Novak would spend time trying to determine if his abilities had a less mystical source. Either way, Dracula was facing some very uncomfortable months before they finally figured out how to kill him permanently.

* * *

Following that little bit of excitement, a few days later Buffy was on her way home, looking to spend some quality time with her mother as her work kept her at the base almost constantly.

"Hey mom." Buffy walked in the kitchen and saw a young girl helping her mother cook. "What is she doing here?"

"I live here now." The girl snapped with a smirk.

"It's been a while, Dawn. How are you, baby sister?" Buffy grinned, knowing it would annoy the girl.

"I'm not a baby anymore. I'm fourteen already." Dawn pouted.

"You'll always be my baby sister. So, what's for dinner?" Buffy turned to her mother.

"Don't they feed you at that fancy base of yours?" Joyce rolled her eyes at her daughter's antics.

"No one can cook as good as you can, and the cooks at the base go for quantity, not quality." Buffy replied as she sat down. The base cafeteria served nutritious, although somewhat bland selection and Buffy tried to get some home cooking whenever she could.

"What's this about a base? You joined the army or something?" Dawn turned to her sister.

"I'm working in the administrative department of a local facility. It's nothing fancy, but it's a living." Buffy shrugged. She didn't want to drag her sister into her life if she could help it, and her mother seemed to approve.

Dinner passed pleasantly enough, but there was still a slight nagging at the back of Buffy's mind that something was wrong, and over the next few days as she spent time with her family, the feeling intensified and she noticed that the sensation intensified around her sister. Still, before she did something drastic, she wanted to be sure of her decision.

* * *

"You asked to see me, Inquisitor?" Magos Novak walked in Buffy's office later that day.

"Yes. I need you to perform some tests for me. First, run a full analysis of this sample. I want to know everything you can tell me." Buffy handed her a vial containing several auburn hairs. "Second, I want you to run a comparison with this sample to determine any genetic connection." A vial of lighter colored hair followed.

"I will get on it right away." Lindsey stood up.

"And Lindsey, I want no records of this test. You record the results only on your implants and you report back to me in person. Understood?" Buffy's gaze hardened, and the Magos Biologis simply nodded.

"I ran the tests three times just to be redundant, and the results all came out the same. The first sample comes from a healthy human teenage female. I have detected no genetic indication of corruption, taint or foreign influence with the exception of one mutation. The sample comes from a psyker." Novak began her report.

"And the second test?" Buffy was shocked by the implications.

"I can say with absolute certainty that the two samples share the same parents. I heard your sister recently moved into town. Any reason you're investigating her?" Lindsey asked.

"Just a feeling I had. There's something about her that rings warning bells in my head." Buffy sighed.

"Well, if she is a latent psyker, we can't ignore her. You know better than anyone the risks involved." Novak warned her.

"The risks are not so great here, but it is still something that cannot be ignored. I'll have to think about how to explain this to her, as well as come up with a suitable training regime." Buffy sighed. She really didn't need this kind of complication in her life right now. Novak simply nodded and walked out, leaving her alone to ponder things.

* * *

For the next few days, Buffy kept herself busy, doing everything she could to keep herself from thinking about her sister, so when General Hammond called her to help with an unusual situation, she could hardly keep her sigh of relief in.

"You're sure you're not seeing things?" Buffy asked Major Carter after Hammond told her that the woman claimed a strange man named Orlin had appeared before her after she came home from their latest mission.

"I'm sure." Carter snapped, which was understandable, since no one seemed to believe her.

"I understand your frustration, but…" Buffy paused when she did feel something. It felt like a void in the warp, and her mind cringed from the sensation, remembering the phantom pain caused by Pariahs.

"Show yourself." Buffy commanded as the air in the room grew frigid. There was a yelp of pain and a man appeared out of thin air.

"Please stop what you're doing." The man let a sigh of relief when the glow in Buffy's eyes died.

"So that's what made me nervous about the boy. You don't exist in the Warp." Buffy finally recognized the strange sensations she felt around Shifu, but since the boy was in human form and concealing his nature, her senses caught only a vague impression of it.

"It is beyond our awareness. I didn't know it would hurt so to feel it." The man replied.

"This is most unexpected. May I ask what you're doing here, Orlin?" Carter had told her his name, and while the man's presence was not nearly as potent as the blanks in the Imperium, it was still enough to keep her unsettled.

"I've been alone on Velona for a very long time. I just wanted to spend time with Samantha." Orlin replied, causing Buffy to smile lightly.

"Nothing wrong with that. So, can you make yourself human?" Buffy asked.

"I can, but do you believe it to be wise? As a human I won't be able to hide or protect myself." Orlin frowned.

"Do you have the knowledge to repair a class 10 constructor?" Buffy asked, giving him the designation of the ancient device in their factory.

"It depends on what was damaged. Does it still work?" Orlin asked, while Carter was sitting next to them, trying to understand what they were talking about, since Buffy still hadn't told them about the constructor.

"Yes, but it can't make multi-part items." Buffy replied.

"It should be repairable then." Orlin nodded.

"Well, if you take a look at it, I will personally guarantee your safety." Buffy told him. For a few moments, Orlin simply sat still, then Buffy felt the horrible void in the Warp vanish.

"You must not let them use the weapon on Velona. The Others won't allow it." Orlin warned her.

"You have a secure line here Major?" Carter shook her head. "I'll go and speak with the general, then. In the meantime, why don't you show Orlin around town?"

"Any luck, Ms. Summers?" Hammond asked once Buffy appeared in his office and sat down.

"She was telling the truth, but I came to an agreement with her visitor. He's going to help me out with some things back in Sunnydale, and in return, he gets my protection. I want you to make that very clear to your superiors, especially those ticks at the NID. They touch him and they deal with me. Oh, and I also told him we would destroy the weapon you discovered." Buffy surprised him.

"Ms. Summers, that weapon could be very useful to us." Hammond countered.

"General, without the aid of the Mechanicus, how long is it going to take you to learn how to move it, let alone replicate it?" Buffy said, making him grow silent.

"The ships at Tollana are entering their final stages of construction as we speak. It's only a matter of weeks until they're done and there are four more currently being built. We don't need a stationary weapon we can't relocate or replicate quickly, and from what Orlin told me, we wouldn't be able to use it either way." Buffy shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Hammond frowned.

"When we met, he was a being of pure energy, and while I can only guess at his power, I have no doubt it was considerable. He warned me that if we tried to use it, the Others would stop us. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not provoke the wrath of such beings." This revelation did not sit well with her, since she knew nothing of these beings or even how to fight them if it proved necessary. Hopefully Orlin would be able to shed some light on the issue.

"I'll order my men to destroy it, then. So, the ships will be ready soon?" Hammond sighed.

"Yes. The recent influx of men from Optrisia really helped us fill up the crew roster. The Goa'uld are in for a rude surprise especially with four more ships already in construction. Now that they've figured out all the issues and expanded the shipyards, they'll be able to churn them out much faster." Buffy grinned. Soon, the Goa'uld would be gone, and the New Imperium would rise in their place to guide humanity out of the darkness.

* * *

Even after several weeks, Buffy was still hesitating from talking to her sister about her latent ability.

"Mom, Dawn, we need to talk about something." Seeing the serious look on her face, the pair nodded and sat down across her.

"Dawn, mom already knows all this, but I have no doubt this will shock you. You remember how I was expelled for burning the school gym?" Buffy asked, and Dawn nodded with a grin at the thought. Who knew her cheerleader of a sister could do something so badass? "Well, the real reason I did it was because there were a bunch of vampires in there."

"You're joking, right? Mom?" Dawn laughed a bit, but her mother's serious face quickly stopped that. "Vampires are real?"

"Yes, and a lot of other nasty things too. But don't worry, things aren't as bad as they sound." With that, Buffy explained her role as the Vampire Slayer and everything that had happened to her since she came to Sunnydale.

"You've actually been to space? And why are you telling me all this?" Dawn asked once the story was over.

"Yes, I've been into space. Maybe I'll take you as well some day. As to why I'm telling you all this, I've noticed a strange feeling when I'm around you. Now, call me paranoid but I took some of your hair and had it tested. Unfortunately, it said we're definitely related," Buffy grinned at her sister, "but it also showed you possess the psyker mutation."

"I'm psychic?" Dawn's tone was filled with disbelief.

"That is a part of your abilities. A psyker is capable of reading surface thoughts and minor telekinesis on their own, but their true power lies in their ability to draw power from the Warp." Buffy began.

"What's the difference?" Dawn asked.

"For example, on my own I can levitate a glass with minor effort. If I drew power from the Warp however, I'd be able to levitate an RV with the same ease." Buffy grinned at Dawn's shocked look.

"And I can learn to do that too?" Dawn exclaimed.

"That depends on what your level of ability is, but I want to make this very clear. This ability is not a toy. It is to be used with the highest discretion. There are dangers involved as well, and the best way to ensure you're not hurt is training you how to use this skill properly. Now, this training won't be easy and you will hate me for making you go through it, but you need to learn this for your own safety. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you because I wasn't there for you." Buffy gave her sister a gentle smile.

"So, when do we start?" Dawn asked, trying to break the mushy moment.

"Right away. I've cleared things with your school, and had you transferred out. Fortunately for us, a group of novices arrives today. You will be joining them in their training." Buffy suppressed the urge to laugh maniacally at that moment.

* * *

"…and finally, you are expected to attend the sermons unless given a duty to perform. Any questions?" The armored Celestian stood before a dozen nervous girl that had recently arrived in the complex.

"Yes, is there a room for one more?" Buffy walked in followed closely by Dawn.

"Milady, this is an unexpected honor. I apologize for their lack of decorum, they are still untrained." Several novices cringed at that. The Celestian certainly came off as very strict.

"There's nothing to apologize. I have one more recruit to add to this bunch, actually. This is my sister Dawn." Buffy pushed her sister forward, and the girl managed to mumble an unintelligible greeting to the armored woman.

"Nice to meet you too. She's in good hands with me, milady." The Celestian grinned.

"She is to be excused from afternoon and evening training three days a week for special training with me. I also expect you to hold her performance to a higher standard than the others." Dawn turned to her sister with surprise.

"You're my sister. You have it in you to be the best, and I expect nothing less." Buffy replied calmly. "Carry on, Sister."

* * *

It took Dawn over a week to learn how to consciously tap into the Warp, after which Buffy pushed her into an endless repetition of exercises designed to refine her control and enhance her resistance to mental attacks. With the emergence of Dawn's gift, Buffy was able to classify her as a low Epsilon rank psyker which was a rather rare level of ability.

"That's it, focus on the energy, command it to go where you want it to. Do not allow it to follow its own path. Now, try to…" Buffy was interrupted when her door was opened.

"Milady, you need to come to the hospital immediately." A Sister burst in. It was obvious the girl was shocked when she saw Dawn's glowing eyes as she began to close her mind to the Warp. Very few people knew Dawn was a psyker.

"We're done for today, Dawn." Buffy rushed out.

"A patrol came in via emergency teleport. Two of their members were injured, and they had a badly hurt monk with them. He insisted to speak with you." The Sister explained as they rushed through the building.

"I need the Slayer." Buffy heard a weak voice echo from the room as she walked in.

"I am the Slayer. What do you need of me?" Buffy approached the man.

"The Key. You must protect it from the Beast." The man began but had to stop as he began to cough blood.

"His injuries are too severe, ma'am. I've given him painkillers and stimulants, but it's only a matter of time." The medicae informed her as she helped the man regain his breath.

"What is this Key and where do I find it?" Buffy asked.

"It is energy. We kept it safe, but the Beast found us. We sent it to you for protection. Changed its shape to hide it. Made it human." The monk began to cough again as she realized the full scope of what he had said. Her sister was not her born sibling.

"You altered my memories and that of my family." Buffy stated.

"We had no choice. Please, keep her safe." The monk pleaded.

"She is my sister, after all." Buffy smiled sadly and watched the monk expire with a smile on his face.

"You heard nothing. The man died before he could say anything." Buffy turned to the few people present to hear the man's confession. "Who found him?"

"Sister Samantha, milady." One Sister managed to shake off her shock and reply.

"Milady, I hope the man we rescued gave you some useful info." The red-headed Celestian greeted her outside the hospital. A Seraphim was standing next to her.

"Where did you find him?" Buffy asked.

"We were patrolling the warehouse district where we found this." Samantha handed her a small glowing ball. "Our auspexes detected life forms in one of the warehouses and we moved in to investigate. The monk was inside, tied to a chair. We moved to aid him, but we were assaulted by a blond woman. She managed to throw Julie over ten feet with a single punch." This surprised Buffy. While the girls didn't weigh that much, their armor was easily several hundred pounds.

"That's when I ordered my team to attack her, but our assault had no effect. Laura's bolt rounds only ruined her dress, and Miranda's flamer only burned it off. She didn't like that because her next punch completely crushed her chest plate. The medicae say if she hadn't been wearing her armor, the blow would have shattered her ribcage. Milady, I hit her with my melta at point-blank and her skin only had a couple of blisters from the hit." The Celestian was visibly shook from the experience. "I gave the evac order after that. We managed to grab Miranda and the monk and teleported away."

"You did the right thing, Sister. Point-blank you say?" Buffy frowned. Even Land Raider armor wouldn't be able to emerge undamaged from such an attack. The Celestian simply nodded in reply.

"Contact Pylea. Tell Xander I need to speak with him at once." Buffy turned to the Seraphim who nodded and rushed away.

"You and your team are a credit to the Imperium. Convey my commendations to your squad mates." Buffy gave the Celestian a soft smile.

"Thank you milady. They will be pleased to hear that." Samantha smiled back and walked inside the hospital. While one of the Sisters only had a cracked jaw, the other was injured much more severely as pieces of her armor dug in her flesh and one of her broken ribs pierced her lung. Fortunately, the medicae told her that she would make a full recovery.

Meanwhile, Buffy was busy making plans to counter her latest enemy as well as trying to come to grips with the sudden revelation of her sister's true nature and origins.


	29. Chapter 29

**A new chapter, and perhaps my longest yet which I feel is a pretty neat accomplishment. I hope I did a good job with the end of the chapter, but I'll let you decide on that. Anyway, read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 29**

An hour later, Buffy was informed that Xander had arrived, and she called a meeting of her core group, namely herself, Xander, Giles and Willow where she informed them of the recent revelations.

"Xander, I want you to help me train Dawn. That should give me more time to figure things out as well as ensuring she has strong protection at all times." Buffy turned to Xander, who simply nodded. "Giles, I want to you to find everything you can about the Key and the bitch that's after it. Also see if you can't find out what this is."

Giles spent a few moments examining the glowing ball Buffy handed him, but did not comment otherwise.

"Willow, I want this place more secure than the Golden Throne. NOTHING comes in without approval and a detailed search. We'll discuss further options once Giles tells us what we're dealing with." Buffy finished.

"While I'd rather not, we should consider the option of terminating the Key." Xander suggested.

"I have considered the option. For the moment, my sister is far more useful alive. Psykers are not exactly a common commodity in this galaxy." Buffy reminded him.

"Still, do I have the authority to terminate her if it becomes necessary?" Xander pressed.

"Your orders are to keep her out of enemy hands at all costs. Terminate only if recovery is deemed impossible." Buffy sighed. Regardless of her origins, she still thought of Dawn as her sister.

"Do we tell your sister about your situation?" Giles asked.

"I'll tell her when I believe she is ready. I promise I won't wait too long." Buffy silenced her Watcher when he opened his mouth in protest, knowing his charge well.

"Now, is there anything else you wanted to discuss with me?" Buffy asked.

"Things on Pylea are progressing well. The population is under our control and we've put the surviving demons on the harshest tasks in the new mines. Magos Lee expects to provide half what we get from the US every month, with expected increase as we establish a better infrastructure and transport methods." Xander reported.

"The SGC requested a genetics expert, and I have already dispatched Lindsey. General Hammond assured me it was a minor issue and they only needed an expert to oversee their efforts." Willow added.

"Alright. Dismissed." Buffy stood up, and everyone walked out to their own sections of the facility.

* * *

Meanwhile at the SGC, Lindsey was standing next to Dr. Frasier examining the DNA of her daughter Cassandra.

"A most intriguing alteration. It's clear Niirti has only a rudimentary understanding of genetics, but whatever she used to make the alterations is very precise. Most likely an Ancient device of some sort. Have you had any luck in interrogating her?" Lindsey asked.

"She was very surprised when we detected her attempting to sneak in with SG-1, but we've had no luck in convincing her to cooperate. General Hammond wanted to see if you could help before we tried to negotiate with her." Dr. Frasier replied.

"Well, now that I've seen the problem, it's very simple to make her healthy again." Lindsey commented. "However, I cannot reverse what was done to her without knowing exactly how her DNA was changed. Any attempt I make could cause serious genetic damage."

"You're sure? What do you intend to do then?" Dr. Frasier frowned.

"Our knowledge of genetics is very advanced, and we've further refined it using Asgard methods. Somehow, Niirti managed to stumble into the specific mutation that is unique to psykers. The mutation is unstable in Cassandra since one of the key genes is still inactive in her. Activating it will stabilize her mutation and her ability. After that, it's only a matter of training her to use this ability, which I'm sure Inquisitor Summers would be more than happy to do." Lindsey replied.

"This won't hurt her in any way?" Dr. Frasier asked.

"I am confident in my ability to stabilize her condition. And just between the two of us, she won't be alone in training. The Inquisitor recently discovered that her younger sister is also a psyker." Lindsey smiled at the surprised woman.

"I don't want my daughter involved with your religion." Dr. Frasier admitted.

"No one will force her into it. Let her choose for herself. The Inquisitor will still train her." It was equally likely she would put a bolt round through her head, but Lindsey knew Buffy would be a fool to ignore the addition of yet another psyker into their ranks.

"Just save her. We'll talk about it afterwards." Dr. Frasier finally gave in.

Fifteen minutes later, Cassandra's fever broke and her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Mom?" She whispered.

"I'm right here, Cassie." The relieved mother rushed to embrace her daughter.

"I saw something amazing. I was looking down on the Earth from space, except everything was clouded by this purplish-pink fog. Then a beam of golden light fell on me, and I felt safe, like I knew everything would be alright. Before I could do anything, I woke up." The teenager whispered.

"The Emperor's light has guided your soul back to your family, young lady. You are very lucky." Lindsey joined the discussion.

"That was the Emperor? Mom said it was just superstition." Cassandra turned to the Magos.

"The Emperor is very real, even if his influence is limited here. Now, you should spend some time with your friends and family and get some rest. I will return tomorrow with Inquisitor Summers to discuss something with you." With that, Lindsey walked out, heading towards Hammond's office.

"General Hammond, you'll be happy to hear that Cassandra is completely healed." Lindsey informed the general with a grin, after which she explained the whole situation to the man.

"What is your opinion on this newly-gained ability of Cassandra's?" Hammond asked.

"A psyker is a very powerful and very useful individual, but only when properly trained. I won't lie to you. It is extremely demanding and beyond harsh, but this great ability bust be tempered with absolute discipline and an unbreakable will or it could lead to disaster. You can rest assured that the Inquisitor will train her well." Lindsey replied.

"And use her equally as well no doubt." Hammond said with a frown.

"General, we both know that she is not a heartless despot. You of all people should understand her difficult position as protector of our entire species." Lindsey countered.

"I understand all too well. I just wish we didn't have to make such sacrifices." Hammond sighed.

"That day will come, General. There is also another matter I wanted to discuss with you. I would like you to transfer Niirti to our custody. We have tools and methods that are more… persuasive than what you'd be willing to employ. Personally I would love to learn more about what she used to perform such genetic alterations on humans." Lindsey had a certain glint in her eyes that made Hammond almost feel sorry for the Goa'uld.

"Provided that everything you learn from her is shared with us." Hammond asked.

"I will provide a full transcript of our sessions. You are also welcome to send an observer if you'd like." Lindsey offered.

"A transcript will be sufficient. I will inform the guards that you'll be taking custody of the prisoner." Hammond told her. Lindsey simply nodded and stood up. Hammond spent a few moments pondering the faint but lingering smell of antiseptic and blood that followed the woman before he decided he REALLY didn't want to know.

* * *

The next day Buffy arrived in the SGC alone and was quickly shown the way to the infirmary.

"Dr. Frasier, I am pleased we could aid you in your time of need. Lindsey could not come as she is far too busy playing with her newest toy. Niirti was very cooperative after a few hours with Lindsey." Buffy smirked.

"What will happen to her?" Cassandra asked.

"Once she's told us all her secrets, we will perform a series of experiments on exactly how the Goa'uld affect their hosts. If she survives those, she will be executed. But, I'm not here to talk about her. I'm here about you. Your mother explained what has happened to you?" Buffy turned to Dr. Frasier.

"As best as I could, but there's a lot I don't know about this situation." Dr. Frasier admitted.

"Being a psyker is difficult to explain to non-psykers. It's like explaining sight to someone who was born blind. It is a complex ability, very difficult to learn and even harder to control, but certainly not impossible. I can teach you how to do this." Buffy gave Cassandra a soft smile.

"What happens after she completes her training, how long will it take and how will she attend these sessions?"

"Well, the length of the training is wholly up to her, but it will take more than a year to teach her proper control. True mastery of these abilities can take years, even decades to attain. Once she completes my course, she's free to make her own path, with the understanding that if she ever becomes a threat to humanity, I will hunt her down myself." Buffy paused to let her words sink in. "As to how she will attend, there are several options. First, she can join my sister Dawn and the latest novices in the Battle Sisters. Second, she transfers to Sunnydale High and lives at our complex, or third, she remains here and is teleported to Sunnydale every afternoon for lessons."

"Personally I'd go with the last option. I don't want her in a dangerous place like Sunnydale." Dr. Frasier replied quickly.

"As her guardian, the decision is yours. I will write a letter to your school telling them to excuse you from any extracurricular activities and homework. We'll arrange an alternate means to assure them you are keeping up with your studies. Take these." Buffy handed her two devices. "Put one in your room and keep the other on you at all times. They're teleporter beacons. When you press the button on the device, it sends a signal to Sunnydale that tells us to teleport you there. The other will be used as a marker to send you back home. You will come every day after school and on Saturday morning. I will allow you Sundays off. We'll talk about your lesson plan when you arrive tomorrow. Any questions?" Buffy grinned at the slightly gaping girl.

"What about my personal life?" Cassandra complained.

"You get Sundays off. Remember, this ability is very dangerous. A momentary loss of control could cause you to hurt or even kill whoever is near you. Until tomorrow." With that final warning, Buffy simply teleported away.

* * *

The next day, Cassandra appeared in a large room where a girl roughly her age was waiting for her.

"Welcome, Ms. Frasier. This way, please." The girl led her through the door and down the hall. What surprised Cassandra was the amount of people walking through the building, and she actually froze in place the first time she saw one of the armored Sisters walk by.

"Here we are. Sister Summers and Chaplain Harris will arrive soon." Her guide left her in an empty room containing two yoga mats and a large metal chair. Barely a minute passed when a young girl walked in, followed by the biggest man she had ever seen.

"Hi, you must be Cassandra. I'm Dawn and that's Xander. Isn't he the coolest?" Dawn rushed to her, chattering a mile a minute.

"Dawn, calm yourself and take your place." Xander grinned as he sat down. Now that he had met the girl, he was certain he would never forgive himself if he ended up hurting her.

"Even though Dawn introduced us in her own way, I feel we should add a proper one as well. I am Chaplain Alexander Harris, First Company Grey Knights Chapter. And the ball of energy next to you is Novice Sister Dawn Summers." Xander laughed as Dawn stuck out her tongue at him.

"I thought the Inquisitor would be teaching us." Cassandra asked.

"And she will, but her duties keep her very busy. I am here to take up the slack, as it were. Now, shall we begin?" When the girls nodded, Xander continued. "Now, Dawn already knows the basics, but there's no harm in going over them once more. We will begin with meditation. Once you have managed to feel the Warp, break the meditation. Once you are able to do this instantly, we will begin on drawing energy from it. Find a comfortable position and close your eyes. Ignore all outward sensations and focus your attention inwards."

"Can I ask what we'll be learning once we know how to draw in energy?" Cassandra asked.

"First, you will learn how to recognize and counter intruders in your mind. Once you have achieved a satisfactory resistance, you will be taught how to utilize your gift. But, that's a long way off. Right now, it is time for meditation." Xander reminded them, and the girls reluctantly began their training. After two hours, Xander allowed Dawn to train with drawing energy, and also gave Cassandra some helpful tips on how to sense the Warp faster. At the end of the day, Cassandra managed to bring her time down to ten minutes, which according to Xander was admirable progress.

* * *

The days passed by quickly and without incident. The mysterious woman that had fought with the patrol did not appear again, which was good news. Giles had also come through and identified the mysterious orb the patrol found as the Dagon sphere, an ancient artifact used to ward off primordial evils, and had managed to discover what the Key was.

"Basically, it is an energy matrix attuned to the barrier keeping the various dimensions separated. With the proper ritual, one can push energy from the key and open the barrier. When the energy flow stops, the barrier closes again. The monk the patrol found was a member of an ancient order sworn to protect it." Giles began his report.

"What are the requirements for this ritual?" Buffy asked.

"It can only be performed at specific times. Other than that, one needs only the Key." Giles replied.

"And the woman the patrol encountered?"

"I had to go to the Council to get anything about her, but I finally got the info this morning. She has a number of names, but the most commonly used ones are Glorificus or Glory, and she's not a demon. She's a god." Those words did not give any comfort to Buffy. How do you kill a god?

"Fortunately for us, her power is very limited in this dimension. Also, the Council has determined a potential weakness. She is bound to a human host." Giles finished.

"Kill the host and we kill her. Still, easier said than done. Well, as long as Dawn stays in the complex, we have nothing to worry about. Convey my gratitude to the Council for their assistance. Oh, one more thing. The launch of our first ships is in a few days. Would you like to join us for the big day?" Buffy asked.

"I'd be honored." Giles nodded and walked out.

* * *

A few days later, Buffy, Willow, Giles and an honor guard of four Celestians joined the group from the SGC, consisting of General Hammond, Major Davis and SG-1.

"Expecting trouble, Inquisitor?" Hammond asked when he noticed that Buffy was wearing power armor similar to her guards, although far more ornate. An inferno pistol replaced the bolt pistol she usually carried.

"I felt like dressing up." Buffy shrugged. with the new threat in Sunnydale, she felt a need to upgrade her arsenal. A moment later the gate activated and they walked through.

On the other side they were met by Harry who along with Faith was busy talking to the Optrisian delegation.

"Everyone is here. Shall we proceed to the shipyard?" Narim was also present as their guide, and soon enough, everyone was teleported into the orbital facility. A large observation room was built specifically for this purpose, and from it they could see the majestic shapes of the two massive ships.

"Magnificent. Simply magnificent." Buffy whispered as she looked over the ship, her eyes stopping at the obscene amount of weapons adorning the vessels.

"Welcome honored guests to our humble home for this momentous occasion. Today we bear witness to the accomplishment of a united humanity. It was our combined effort that brought these majestic vessels into existence, and they shall serve as an eternal testament to the ability of our race." Councilor Travell spoke first, then gestured to Buffy to take the stand.

"I could not have said it better, Councilor. These ships are more then a symbol of our unity, however. They are a message to all our enemies that the days of our oppression are at an end. We will hide no longer. No, we will fight back, and we will not stop until every last human is once again free." Buffy's words were met with thunderous applause as she stepped aside for Travell again.

"As the person that made this all possible, we would like to ask Inquisitor Summers to name the two ships." Travell turned to Buffy.

"I thank you for this honor. I give them the names 'Wings of Liberty' and 'Sword of Vengeance'." Buffy announced.

"Captains, you may launch when ready." Travell activated her comm. link and a few seconds later, the engines of the two frigates activated and the two massive ships began to move.

"Ma'am, our long range sensor posts have detected a dozen Goa'uld ships entering this system." A Tollan informed Travell, causing the crowd of delegates to grow silent.

"I wonder what they want. Contact them." Travell frowned and waited until a familiar face greeted her.

"Lord Zipacna, you are intruding in Tollan space. I must respectfully ask you to leave." Travell adressed the man.

"The days of the Tollan defiance are at an end. We have come to deliver your punishment." Zipacna smirked and closed the channel.

"They'll be in range of the defense satellites in fifteen seconds." A technician informed them. "Ion cannons firing. Direct hit. Ma'am, their shields absorbed the shots."

"Hit them with the lances." Travell said calmly. No wonder Zipacna sounded so smug. A counter to their Ion cannons would have left them defenseless without the Imperial tech they now had.

Before the Goa'uld fleet, the large orb-like satellites aimed their second cannon at them, but instead of an ion pulse, a crimson lance of energy struck their shields.

"Direct hit. Sensors show a ten percent decrease in shield strength. They are engaging the satellites. Weapons damage is five times higher then expected." The technician reported.

"The lances should have cut through their shields easily. What are you thinking, Inquisitor?" Travell turned to Buffy.

"I think we should send the ships in. This would be a perfect test of their capability." Buffy replied.

"If the Goa'uld have improved their ships to this degree, we're in trouble." Travell frowned.

"I would have heard about it if everyone had such enhanced vessels. This is most likely the action of a single Goa'uld. The frigates should be able to handle them, right?" Harry joined the discussion.

"Based on the sensor data, the frigates have sufficient firepower to destroy them with minimal received damage. Their void shields are stronger than even the best Asgard models." Willow replied calmly.

* * *

"What's the plan?" The two ship captains spoke to each other as they moved to intercept. Each stood at a hololith showing the area of engagement with each captain represented by a hologram on the ship they were not on.

"We move right for them, firing the lance turrets to soften them up, then drive right through their formation and fire the weapons batteries in sequence as we pass their ships." Colonel Will Ronson suggested to his Optrisian colleague.

"Our shields will take a beating, but it's a good opening move. I suggest we move to flanking positions out of the maneuver and launch our Vanguard fighters to provide support." Captain Parcy was one of Cardinal Rigar's subordinates and one of the first to join him. Her loyalty and competence were well rewarded as she was chosen to be one of the captains of the two frigates.

As the frigates moved into range of the Goa'uld ships, the frigates opened fire with their prow mounted laser lance turret, hitting two of the ships and causing significant damage as the ship's lances were stronger then those on the satellites. In response, the Goa'uld unleashed a firestorm of plasma bolts on the two massive ships causing their void shields to glow golden as the plasma splashed across them. The Goa'uld ships began to scatter out of their way as the frigates showed no sign of stopping, and as the two ships drove through the Goa'uld formation, they unleashed their broadsides, unleashing a thick rain of lasers, plasma, missiles and railguns, the pass managing to destroy two ships and damage three more as the final shots caused their shields to fail.

Zipacna was livid as he monitored the battle. This was supposed to be a simple mission. The only reason his master even gave him so many of his enhanced ships were due to reports that the Tollan had been seen building a lot of new structures in their system.

"Destroy those monstrosities at once." He roared as he ordered his remaining ships to divide in two groups and launch their fighter wings.

"You know the drill boys and girls. Keep them away from our ships." The squadron leader for the Vanguard wing of the Wings of Liberty grinned as he pushed his fighter to the limit and headed towards the incoming swarm of Goa'uld fighters.

The first few seconds of the engagement clearly showed the difference between Goa'uld and Imperial design, as the Vanguards began dropping the Death Gliders like flies, using their greater speed, superior maneuverability and more versatile weapons. The few fighters that managed to get past the Vanguards were quickly mowed down by the point defense systems of the frigates. Void shields could easily stop energy weapons and fast moving projectiles, but something comparatively slower like a fighter could pass through unimpeded, which was the reason for the point defense systems.

As the pilots quickly organized an impromptu contest between the two ship squadrons on who could shoot down the most gliders, the frigates were busy exchanging fire with the Goa'uld Ha'tak.

Already, the frigates scored two more kills, but these new Ha'tak proved surprisingly powerful.

"Sir, our portside shield batteries are down to five percent. They're really laying into us." Ronson frowned when he heard the report. These ships were far more powerful than they should be.

"Turn us around, bring our starboard side to face them." Moments after he spoke, the Wings of Liberty turned upside down and presented its undamaged starboard shield and its fully reloaded battery to the Goa'uld. The following barrage took out another Ha'tak and damaged a second, which was promptly finished off by the Sword of Vengeance.

"This is not possible. Order the closest Ha'tak to ram them. If we can't beat the Tollan, we can at least take their new weapons away." Zipacna yelled as he was left with five ships, all of them barely keeping their shields active. The two Ha'tak quickly moved to comply, pushing their engines beyond their limit as they headed towards the two frigates.

"So, they want to play chicken, huh? Turn us towards them, full speed ahead." Ronson smirked. Imperial ships were designed with a massive armored prow that served specifically for ramming.

"All hands, brace for impact." Ronson shouted as the two ships met, gripping his seat tightly as the bridge was rocked, the impact straining the inertial dampeners beyond their limit. Still, the Ha'tak was barely a third of the frigate's size and mass, and split upon the prow like a log under an axe, causing minimal damage to the frigate. The Sword fared just as well, and the two frigates were now headed towards the final three ships, still hungry for Goa'uld blood.

"Retreat. We must tell our lord of this." Zipacna swallowed the lump in his throat and hoped he would survive his master's wrath for this loss. The frigates managed to destroy one more ship before the last two escaped into hyperspace.

"Recall all fighters and set a course back to Tollana. I'd say we passed our shakedown run with flying colors." Ronson grinned as his crew cheered for their victory.


	30. Chapter 30

**Another chapter done, and we come a step closer to the end of the season. Also, due to popular demand, I will include Space Marines in this fic. I will make a poll to allow you to choose which Chapter you want to see. I will only include the original Chapters, the ones with a direct link to their Primarch, so I apologize in advance if anyone is disappointed about that. So, with that, please read and enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 30**

The results of the battle in the Tollan system greatly encouraged the gathered human worlds present to witness it, and the representatives left back to their homeworlds in high spirits. In the wake of this bout of good news, Buffy decided it was time to press on and build even more momentum.

"Just what exactly are you planning to do with them? These people are animals." A tall man in a suit turned to Buffy as she stood before a steel door.

"I know. Don't worry, my organization knows how to handle scum like them." Buffy smirked and walked out the door to a catwalk above a prison mess hall where over five hundred men of various ages and ethnicities sat. Her walk was accompanied by a great deal of cat calls and rather lewd comments.

"Gentlemen, and I use the term very loosely, thank you for accepting to be here this day. Considering you are all doing twenty to life, I am sure the promise of a reduced sentence was most enticing." Buffy began to speak as soon as the crowd settled down.

"We weren't told what exactly are we supposed to do to earn this cut in our time." One man pointed out.

"That is simple. The US government is currently involved in a minor conflict and wishes to see it resolved quickly and quietly, but we cannot send soldiers in for a number of reasons. That's where you come in. You serve five years as unofficial soldiers, and you get to walk away as free men." Buffy surprised more than just the convicts.

"Let me get this straight. You actually intend to give us weapons and let us go out there unattended?" The same prisoner asked in surprise, and Buffy presumed he was the king of the hill here.

"You won't be unattended, but yes, you will be given weapons and expected to fight who we tell you to." Buffy nodded.

"And what's stopping us from turning those weapons on your men and running away?" The man asked.

"You won't. That is my offer gentlemen. When I walk out that door, it goes with me. If you won't take my offer, there are plenty of others who will." Buffy shrugged.

"We'll be allowed to walk around?" The prisoner leader asked after a few moments.

"You will be confined to a compound when not deployed, but you will not be locked in cells. Oh, and I almost forgot. This will be a mixed gender fighting force." Buffy suppressed a grin as nearly every man below her looked up.

"Women? There will be actual women there?" A man whispered.

"And no rules against fraternization." Buffy laughed as the men cheered. Considering their crimes, most of them hadn't even touched a woman in years.

A similar event took place the next day at a woman's prison, and Buffy left to coordinate the transfer of the convicts to New Cadia.

* * *

"We're tracking the bus ma'am. They will be at the designated coordinates in one minutes." Buffy nodded, watching the dot move on the floating map before her.

"We're here. Alright you maggots, everyone stand up." The bus guards were loaned from military groups in the know, so they weren't surprised when the group of shackled men vanished in a flash of light.

"What the hell?" One convict gasped.

"Form a line. Walk forward." One man barked and the disoriented convicts responded nearly automatically and in moments stood facing a glowing gateway.

"Proceed through. Your new homes are on the other side." Considering they were surrounded by heavily armed soldiers, the men decided they had no choice but to obey and proceeded to file through the Stargate.

It took a while, but several hours later, Harry now had over a thousand convicts from Earth on his planet.

"Shall we address the new troops?" Harry turned to his officers, who nodded and followed him.

"Everyone, welcome to New Cadia, primary base of the New Imperium of Man in the Milky Way galaxy. I am Inquisitor Harry Maybourne, and I am in charge of all Imperial operations in the galaxy. You are now a part of the First Imperial Penal Legion, the first to go into battle against our enemies, and the last to leave the field. This is Colonel-Commissar Enol, your commanding officer." Harry introduced the strict looking Optrisian woman. She was highly recommended by General Orim himself, and Harry personally agreed with his assessment. She would handle her assignment well. "I will let her continue from here."

"The first thing you need to know is, we don't trust you. After all, you are all criminals. You are expected to obey orders without questions. If you do not, you will be punished harshly. The common punishment for minor infractions is public flogging, but anything more severe than that will result in immediate execution. You will be provided a list of rules and I will expect each and everyone of you to memorize them." Enol paused for a moment to let that sink in. "I have three months to whip you useless worms into at least a semi-competent fighting force, and I don't intend to fail. And one last thing. All Imperial forces are required to attend the daily sermons if not engaged in combat. You have one hour to settle in your bunkhouses if you haven't already and assemble in the compound chapel. Move out."

"We have a lot of work to do." She turned to her officers, which consisted of a hundred Optrisian soldiers all dressed in the uniform of an Imperial Commissar.

* * *

"I had thought your government already agreed to negotiate with us?" Borren was the Aschen ambassador that was assigned to lead the negotiations with Earth. The Aschen were a technologically advanced race that was recently encountered by SG-1, and the US government hoped to gain a lot from them while at the same time gain a source of advanced technology independent of the Imperium.

"The United States has agreed to discuss a potential alliance, but our allies are also interested in meeting with you. The Imperium of Man actually unites most of the human worlds we've discovered over the years." Daniel explained.

"They will arrive via the Stargate?" Borren asked.

"Actually, they said they would arrive by ship. It should arrive within the hour." Carter replied.

There was only one Aschen ship in orbit of the planet Volia which was the designated meeting place, and the captain's eyes widened to comical proportions when a massive hyperspace window opened and a gargantuan ship emerged from it.

"Aschen ship, this is the Imperial frigate Wings of Liberty. We request permission to enter orbit." A communication snapped them out of their stupor.

'A frigate?' The captain mouthed to his first mate in shock before he opened a comm channel. "Wings of Liberty, you have permission to enter orbit."

"That thing could probably blow every ship we have to dust. We need to send a report to Aschen Prime immediately." The captain mused and began to compile a report for his superiors with great haste.

A flash of light deposited the Imperial delegation near the Stargate, and Borren had to suppress s shiver as he looked over them. The obvious leader was a man wearing a suit of very ornate armor, but even with its decorations, it was obviously made for combat. Four women wearing similar, but less decorated armor flanked him, while twenty soldiers wearing much simpler armor stood behind them. Completing the entourage was a woman in a red robe, and Borren actually gasped when he took a better look at her. There were four robotic arms growing from her back, and half her face was covered in metal. Her left eye was replaced with a bright red artificial one, and as she moved, he noticed that her right hand was also cybernetic.

"Ambassador Borren, this is Inquisitor Harry Maybourne of the Ordo Xenos and Magos Biologis Lindsey Novak of the Adeptus Mechanicus." Daniel introduced the two parties.

"Welcome to Volia. I hope that this day will mark the beginning of a long friendship between our people." Borren greeted them.

"The New Imperium of Man is always happy to forge relationships with the various human worlds scattered throughout the galaxy." Harry smiled.

"I have news for you, Inquisitor." Lindsey approached Harry. After several days, it seemed that an alliance with the Aschen Confederation was inevitable, but there was just something about the whole thing that felt off to Harry. "Bad news?"

"I have examined a number of the natives of this world. Nine out of ten are sterile, and it is not by accident. I have detected a rather sophisticated genetic alteration that sterilizes the target. You were wise to bring me along." Lindsey informed him.

"They're taking the long-term approach it seems. Return to the ship and begin working on a method to reverse this. I need to discuss the issue with Buffy." Harry sighed. On his way, he also told the soldiers that were part of his escort to keep an eye on SG-1 and their hosts.

"This is not good news. With these revelations, we cannot allow them to join the Imperium. Still, the biggest problem is that they are aware of us, and that could spell big trouble in the future." Buffy released a weary sigh. "You have it on board?"

"You're not considering…" Harry exclaimed.

"The Aschen are a threat to the New Imperium, and unlike the Goa'uld, they can be neutralized quickly. You can determine where each of their worlds is located?" Buffy asked.

"Yes. There are only several gate addresses they can access without a DHD." Harry replied.

"Then, by my authority as an Inquisitor, I hereby order Exterminatus Extremis on the Aschen Confederation. Use the cyclonic torpedo to destroy their homeworld, then track down every world they control and eliminate them to the last. If any native population still exists, determine if they can be brought into the Imperium. If not, grant them His mercy." Buffy's tone was frigid, but Harry saw the look in her eyes. She didn't want this, but they both realized that they had no choice. They could not allow such a society to rise to become a threat to the New Imperium.

"Lock onto our men on the surface as well as the Stargate. Transport our men on board and put the Stargate into orbit. Target the Aschen ship and blow it to bits." Harry ordered, and the bridge crew rushed to obey.

* * *

"Harry, care to explain why you decided to drag us away from a very important diplomatic event?" O'Neill asked one of his least favorite people. In reply, Harry explained about Lindsey's discoveries and the conclusions he made from it.

"What are you going to do now?" Daniel asked.

"We are currently on route to Aschen Prime, where by Inquisitorial edict we will perform Exterminatus Extremis. The Aschen people will be wiped clean from this galaxy." Harry replied in an official tone.

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" O'Neill whistled.

"The Aschen are not the only ones that think long-term, Jack. Personally, I'd rather not wake up a century from now to hear that half our worlds have been destroyed by biological weapons." Harry replied.

"We will arrive in fifteen seconds, sir." An officer informed them.

"Arm all weapons. Hit them hard and fast. Don't give them a chance to organize a counterattack or try to flee." Harry snapped.

The frigate was powerful enough to match several of the newest Asgard ships, so it is understandable that the few Aschen ships lasted only several minutes. As the ship moved towards the planet, SG-1 could only stand silently as the bridge crew did its work.

"Optimal firing target located. Will take twenty minutes to achieve geostationary orbit." The nav officer reported.

"Move us into low orbit and begin bombardment. Focus on large population centers. Order the gunnery crew to load the cyclonic torpedo." Colonel Ronson ordered.

"That should be easy, this place is practically a hive world. I think I can clear half the continent by the time we reach the primary target." The weapons officer grinned. Unlike his Terran colleagues, the Optrisian man was a true believer and saw nothing wrong in exterminating heretics.

"Focus on the task at hand. We may need to mop up after the primary blast, and we still have to deploy troops to the other Confederacy planets. Give the ground pounders something to do as well." Ronson's face remained impassive as he watched the first shots strike the surface, blowing countless structures to bits.

"Primary target reached. Firing torpedo." The weapons officer reported.

"Move us to minimal safety range." Ronson ordered as they all watched the countdown. When the clock reached zero, the whole planet just burst with light. The impact site was a gigantic ball of light, and from it, they could see a wave of fire spreading quickly and engulfing the world.

"Make an orbit. Make sure there are no survivors. Plot a course to take us to the other Confederacy planets. We'll leave Volia for last." Harry ordered. "That was pretty impressive considering that was the prototype."

"Why did you have it in the first place?" Carter asked. They were still digesting the rather impressive act of indiscriminate slaughter.

"We were moving it to New Cadia, one of the reasons I came via ship rather than the Stargate. We didn't expect to use it so quickly, though the team that built it will probably be happy to know it worked perfectly." Harry shrugged.

"Tell me Harry, doesn't this bother you?" O'Neill asked.

"I just executed several billion people Jack. Of course it bothers me. Still, however regrettable this act was, it was necessary. This wasn't a decision made lightly, and I hope that it is something you can understand, but I won't lose any sleep if you don't." Harry replied in a calm tone.

A few hours later, the frigate departed the system, having cleansed it completely of life. It would take several weeks before the Aschen were completely eradicated, and months before the New Imperium took possession of the Aschen agri-worlds. With a little work to replace the Aschen technology used on these worlds, the New Imperium now had a vast source of food for its subjects and troops.

* * *

The US government was shocked that the Imperium took such actions, but they were a small minority. A full report was provided to the other members of the New Imperium, and they all agreed that the act was unfortunately necessary, and the only ones to blame were the Aschen themselves.

Things quieted down after that, and Buffy was keeping herself busy with her work and the training of her two students. Both Dawn and Cassandra had made great progress in their training, and Buffy fully expected them to complete their training with perfect marks. On the other hand, her thoughts took a darker turn as she thought about the presence of Glory in her town.

The Hell Goddess had been remarkably quiet, keeping a very low profile and hiding whatever moves she had made. Buffy only had rumors and second-hand sightings to work with. It seemed Glory was actively avoiding her forces for the moment, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before she tried to claim the Key. On that topic, her sister took the news about her nature rather well considering the situation, but Buffy knew that without her presence and support, her sister might not have handled it so well.

"I fail to see why Dr. Jackson should risk his life when we already have someone who not only can attend, but was actually invited to the event." Buffy gave Jacob Carter an annoyed glare.

"We were hoping to use the situation to eliminate all the System Lords in a single strike." Jacob explained.

"And Dr. Gardner is simply collateral damage? I will not reward her efforts and loyalty with such callousness." Buffy remained obstinate. "Besides, you're forgetting Sokar and whoever was behind the attack on Tollana. Even with our combined efforts we've been unable to discover who was backing Zipacna, and Harry had reported that a number of Goa'uld have either gone missing or have suffered unexpected attacks by varied enemies."

"You understand we may not get such an opportunity ever again?" Jacob sighed, but could not refute her words. Something fishy was going in the galaxy.

"The defeat of the Goa'uld is only a matter of time. Soon enough, the New Imperium will come out in the open, and the Jaffa will begin an open uprising." Buffy shrugged.

* * *

Far from Earth on the Hasara space station, Sarah was steeling herself for the summit. After a couple of small attacks, it seemed the mysterious attacked decided that her territory was too big of a challenge for the moment and had left her alone. Still, other Goa'uld were not so fortunate, and even some of the System Lords have suffered great losses.

The summit began with the usual grandstanding, threats and accusations typical of such an event, but the meeting was soon interrupted by a request from their shadowy attacker for a meeting.

"Zipacna. So, found a new master to toady up to after Apophis was destroyed?" Sarah smirked at the man's look of annoyance.

"My new master considers me a valuable part of his retinue, which is why I am here." Zipacna managed to compose himself.

"And who is this mysterious master of yours? He has much to answer for." Sarah continued.

"Anubis." Zipacna smirked at the looks of shock that spread through the ranks of the System Lords.

"Anubis is dead." Yu snapped.

"Lord Yu is right. Any Goa'uld claiming that cursed name is only asking for a swift death." Sarah added.

"Just because you tried to kill him all those centuries ago does not mean you succeeded. He has returned and respectfully asks to be given the rank of System Lord." Zipacna's words caused a mixed reaction in the assembly.

"What's in it for us?" Ba'al asked the key question.

"Consider this the first of my master's gifts to the System Lords." Zipacna gestured to his slave who handed him a box. From it, Zipacna removed the severed head of Sokar.

"Interesting. I suppose it's a start but hardly enough." Ba'al smirked.

"My master is aware of this. If accepted into the ranks of the System Lords, before he officially takes his place amongst you, he will destroy the two biggest threats to the Goa'uld. The Tok'ra and the Tau'ri." Zipacna offered.

"Like he destroyed the Tollan?" Sarah smirked as Zipacna flinched at that.

"What do mean, Lord Osiris?" Yu asked.

"Since I've been out of touch for a long time, I have dispatched a number of scouts to monitor threats to myself or the Goa'uld in general. These include several Asgard protected planets, the Tau'ri and of course the Tollan. My scout reported a dozen Ha'tak enter the Tollan system a few weeks ago. Only two badly damaged Ha'tak were reported leaving it." Sarah smirked as the position quickly shifted away from Anubis.

"That attack may have failed, but these will succeed." Zipacna snapped.

"Alright. I propose we grant Anubis the rank of System Lord, IF he succeeds in destroying the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri." Sarah had to suppress a giggling fit at the look on Zipacna's face.

"I second the motion." Ba'al joined in. One by one, the System Lords voted, with only Yu being against any action that benefited Anubis.

"You have our decision. Bring it to your master." Sarah watched Zipacna storm off with great satisfaction. By the end of the summit, she had managed to further cement her position as a competent System Lord and even managed to form a trade agreement with Kali and Bastet, which would make it easy to send missionaries in their armies who would carefully plant the seeds of dissent.

* * *

Her report to Harry was quickly passed to Buffy, who decided to deliberate on the situation with Harry.

"So, we finally have a name for our mystery Goa'uld. I've read the data the Tok'ra provided on him, and he sounds positively delightful. Still, the technological gap between Anubis and the other Goa'uld is a cause for concern. How are your assets progressing?" Buffy began.

"We've managed to build a sizable Battle Sister force, as well as a good number of elite troopers. The Vindicare assassins are almost ready for field work, they just need to receive their equipment and train in using it. The penal legion is going slow, but that was to be expected. They weren't happy about the explosive collars we've provided them, though. Some of the smarter ones are starting to suspect we may intend to keep them in service for a bit longer than five years." Harry grinned.

"We never know what the future brings. We may just end up disbanding them five years from now." She shrugged. "Oh, and Magos Novak has informed me that the first shipments of combat stims will arrive within two weeks."

"We'll need them. The officers in charge of them say there's a good chance they will panic or rout the moment they come under enemy fire." Harry nodded.

"A little frenzon will keep their heads in the game. Keep your ear to the ground and try to learn as much as you can about Anubis and his plans, but don't take any unnecessary risks. You are too important to our efforts to be replaced easily." Buffy grinned at the mock hurt look Harry gave her.

"Oh, one last thing. I also received a report that the Tok'ra were attacked. Fortunately for them, they were almost finished relocating to a new base when the assault force arrived. Their casualties were minimal." Harry added.

"So, Anubis is true to his word. Pity he failed, but perhaps it is for the best. He may try to attack Terra as well." Buffy frowned. "Perhaps it would be best to station a frigate nearby just in case."

"My thoughts exactly. I'll arrange it at once." Harry nodded and with that, closed the connection.

"So Willow, have you made any progress with the robot the patrol found?" Buffy asked her friend about the unusual case one of the patrols encountered. A strange girl that was wandering around town turned out to be a robot.

"I let the adepts examine it, so it took some time, but we discovered the creator. While talented, Warren Mears is completely unsuitable and on my recommendation has been processed as a combat servitor." Willow replied.

"Well, if you believed it to be necessary." Buffy shrugged. There were plenty of humans that deserved worse.

"Hey Buffy, do you have a moment?" Buffy turned as her sister and Cassandra approached her.

"Sure, Dawn." Buffy smiled.

"Some of the Sisters are going to the mall and I wanted to ask if we could join them." Dawn asked.

"I'm not sure that's the best idea, Dawn." Buffy frowned.

"Please Buffy. I haven't had some time off in months, and I promise to teleport back at the first sign of trouble." Dawn begged.

"Only a couple of hours, and make sure you're armed." Buffy sighed. She didn't expect any big trouble in the middle of the day.

* * *

The dozen girls had a fun time, using their allowance to the last cent. Their good cheer evaporated quickly when they walked out of one of he stores and faced a group of mixed demons led by a blonde woman in a red silk dress.

"I think it's time to leave." Dawn said and pressed the beacon on her bracelet only for nothing to happen.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me where my Key is." The woman grinned, only for the girls to pull out their guns out of their purses.

"We will tell you nothing, and nothing you do to us can change that." Dawn stepped forward with her bolt pistol raised.

"Ooh, pretty light." The group was surprised when a human was revealed in the group, but both Dawn and Glory froze when he pointed at Dawn.

"Fuck." Dawn swore and opened fire.

"Ma'am, we have a problem. We received a teleport request from Sister Summers, but we are unable to teleport them away. The satellite is reporting unknown interference. Even the scanner is unable to see into the mall." Buffy cursed when she heard that.

"Send me as close as you can." Buffy snapped and drew her weapons before she was whisked away from the base.

At the mall, the Sisters quickly barricaded themselves and fired at anything inhuman that tried to reach them.

"We're running out of ammo fast. And even if we do kill the demons, there's nothing we have that can even scratch the bitch leading them." The senior Sister sighed.

"Let me try something." Dawn noticed Glory approach and stood up, her eyes blazing with power. While she didn't have a good grasp on utilizing her power yet, she merely flung a bolt of Warp energy at Glory. The glob of energy struck the Hell God and actually made her stagger back a few steps. To everyone's surprise, a few drops of blood dripped from her nose.

"That hurt." Glory whined. "What the hell was that?"

As a reply, the wall to her right exploded and a blast of hot air washed over the crowd.

"Hey Hell Bitch, stay away from my sister." Buffy growled as she leveled her Inferno pistol at Glory.

"Buffy, the Warp hurt her." Dawn shouted and Buffy gave her a slight nod before her eyes blazed with power. In moments, small arcs of lightning were licking her armor and her force sword looked like she was holding a sparkler.

"She's drawing in too much." Cassandra turned to Dawn as the entire group watched in awe.

"Stop her you fools." Glory began to back away which served as a signal for Buffy as she charged at her. The few demons that tried to stop her were simply flung away from her path. Her charge ended with a mighty war cry and a powerful swing that let her blade strike Glory. There was a massive flash of light that blinded everyone for a while and when they finally got their vision back, they were met with a shocking sight. Next to a badly charred corpse was a slightly smoking but otherwise completely empty suit of armor.

"Buffy." Dawn screamed and rushed forward only to fall in shock as she saw that her sister's armor was completely empty. Only a couple of tears fell from her eyes and evaporated away on the burning hot armor before her hand reached for the force sword which was fortunately cold enough to hold.

"Sisters, suffer not the demon to live." Dawn roared as she charged the few remaining demons. There would be time to mourn later.


	31. Chapter 31

**Well, it has been a looooong time, but a new chapter is finally out. My muse was very uncooperative on this one, and it is also shorter than the last few, but it still sets a number of important matters for the future. So, read and enjoy.**

**Chapter 31**

Buffy's funeral was a massive, if somber affair. Countless Imperial servants crowded the Sunnydale complex, all mourning her loss, while in the chapel, her closest friends and subordinates paid their respects along with representatives of all worlds tied to the Imperium. Even the President appeared for about thirty minutes, blaming his busy schedule for the short appearance. Of course, the very front was reserved for Buffy's family and closest friends, all of whom sat, their heads bowed low and tears marring their cheeks.

Faith and Kendra stood to the side, both of them inwardly hoping for a miracle that would bring their friend back, but as the time passed, that hope became fainter and fainter.

In the midst of this scene, Harry Maybourne sat silently, his face set in a grim expression as he contemplated the future. Buffy's death was a major blow to their efforts, one that would take him a lot of time and effort to offset, and he could already feel the headache the work would cause him.

After three days of mourning, Imperial operations began to resume, and one of the first things Harry did was arrange a meeting with Buffy's top advisors.

"So, how are things now that Buffy is gone? Any major issue from the demonic side?" Harry asked.

"The death of Glorificus has demons running scared, actually. Sunnydale is almost completely demon-free. Only the most stubborn still linger, but they are not an issue. Things are so calm here actually, we've had to ship the Sisters to Pylea and New Cadia to give them some combat experience." Giles began. "The Council has also forwarded a message from a group called the Knights of Byzantium. They were sworn enemies of Glory and have pledged their allegiance to our cause. We are currently negotiating with them about supplying equipment and providing them with targets. All in all, we're looking at more than a hundred well trained and dedicated men."

"That is good news. Once they've gotten a hang of our equipment, they'll be a real asset. What about Buffy's successor?" Harry nodded.

"Well, since the Council has been keeping a closer eye on the potentials for our recruitment needs, we determined the next Slayer quickly. Her name is Chloe Winter, a fourteen-year old from Detroit. The Watchers have approached her, but for now it has been decided to leave her where she is as she is reluctant to leave her family." Giles replied.

"Very well. Having the Slayer here is not a priority anyway. Xander, per Buffy's wishes, you'll take command of all demon-oriented tasks here." Xander simply nodded. "Has anyone explained Dawn's nature to her?"

The look on the group's faces gave Harry his answer. "We're not doing that girl any favors by withholding it from her. Considering her ability, we cannot allow her to go rogue. I trust you will handle the issue?" Harry paused until Giles and Xander nodded. "Alright. I need to speak with Willow and Novak before I return to New Cadia."

"Magos Novak, how are you today?" Harry grinned at the woman as he walked in the lab.

"I am fine, Inquisitor. You are no doubt here for an update on the Libertas project?" Novak asked.

"Yes, actually. I also need to invite Willow to New Cadia." Harry replied.

"I will pass the message to the Archmagos. As for the Libertas, I am happy to say that the final round of testing is complete, and we can safely introduce the drug to the Jaffa population. We have already setup a production line capable of producing ten thousand doses a day and we plan to build five more factories for its manufacture." Novak explained.

"You have truly exceeded expectations with your work, Magos. I will inform the SGC and the rebel Jafa leaders of this and invite them for a demonstration soon." Harry informed her and walked away to arrange for transport back to the SGC and New Cadia.

* * *

"Thank you for arriving on such short notice. The issue we have to discuss is of the utmost importance." Harry stood before a room full of people. There were representatives of all the advanced worlds with ties to the New Imperium and all the priests and missionaries responsible for the less advanced worlds were there as well.

"The recent demise of Inquisitor Summers demonstrated a critical flaw in our organization. The chain of command was too centralized. If she hadn't appointed me as an Inquisitor, the command structure of the Imperium would have been in total chaos right now. That is why I have invited you here for a difficult task. We must establish the relevant sections of the Adeptus Terra to prevent the decapitation of the Imperium with a single strike." Harry's words were met with nods and murmurs by the assembled crowd.

"You are all here as delegates by the various worlds and organizations that are a part or are allied to us. All appointments will be made by majority vote. First, I nominate Archmagos Willow Rosenberg to the position of Fabricator General of the Adeptus Mechanicus." Harry's words surprised the girl.

"I second the nomination." Travell of Tolana spoke up.

"Let us vote then. Raise your hand if you vote yes." Harry continued the process. "Anyone opposed? By unanimous vote, Willow Rosenberg is the new Fabricator General."

"Next, I nominate Cardinal Larry Blaisdell for the position of Ecclesiarch." Several priests seconded the nomination, and once again, the voting was unanimous.

"Next, I nominate General Orim of Optrisia as Lord Commander of the Imperial Guard." Harry continued and once again the appointment proceeded without trouble.

"Next, I nominate Captain Parcy as Lord Commander of the Imperial Fleet." Again, the appointment was made without issue.

"Finally, I'd like to address two positions in the High Lords. The position of Grand Provost Marshall of the Adeptus Arbites will be appointed at a later date once the New Imperium is more stable and the Imperial Law is enforced on its worlds. Also, until the issue with the Goa'uld is resolved and the New Imperium remains under external threat, I propose that the duties of the Administratum remain under Inquisitorial control." Harry concluded. Since everyone present knew about the various agencies of the Imperium, they had no trouble in following his explanation. Again, a vote supporting his decision was made quickly.

"Then I would like to ask the new High Lords of the New Imperium to follow me." Harry led the group to a separate room where a woman wearing a skintight bodysuit was waiting for them.

"This is C-001, who has accepted the position of Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum. For security reasons, the existence of this organization is restricted to the highest echelons of the Imperium." Harry introduced the woman.

"Our first order of business is to organize our territory. That means the acknowledgement or appointment of planetary leaders, the appointment of local religious leaders and the assessment of all assets under our control. That means the evaluation of resources provided, the number of PDF forces present on each world, and later, the number of people drafted into the Imperial Guard." Harry began the meeting.

"Larry, go through the list of all priests and missionaries and determine the ones most suitable for leadership positions. I want you to get things organized with a clear chain of command and succession." Harry turned to the new Ecclesiarch who simply nodded. "I trust the Adeptus Mechanicus will have no issue organizing their assets?"

"Currently, our assets are concentrated in the Manufactorum on Terra, Tollana and the new research facility on Altair. All other assets and either mining or processing facilities, and we have a good oversight on all of them." Willow replied.

"Excellent. Other than the organization of our assets, we have only two major issues to discuss. With the establishment of this Council, the deployment of one of the assassin temples or the use of Exterminatus grade weaponry can only be permitted by the unanimous vote of this Council. In an extreme emergency the Inquisition may circumvent this restriction, but only if the action can be justified to the Council afterwards. The second is the distribution of the Libertas drug to the Jaffa rebels. With this, we can expect a massive influx of Jaffa willing to fight in the Emperor's name. I propose we invite the leaders of the Jaffa rebellion here for a demonstration of the drug." Harry concluded the meeting and everyone left to perform their assigned duties.

* * *

"An asteroid? You are certain that it will impact Earth?" Harry frowned. A surprise call from the SGC gave him some rather unexpected news.

"Our calculations show that is the most likely scenario. However, since we have ships at our disposal now, we're not so helpless in this matter." Carter replied.

"Fortunately, the Wings of Liberty is currently in orbit. They can be in Sol in a few hours. Do you want to come through or should they pick you up from Earth?" Harry asked.

"We'll come through. We shouldn't risk a ship that size coming too close to Earth." Carter said and closed the connection.

True enough, a few hours later the frigate was moving into position on the asteroid that was currently threatening Earth.

"Scan the asteroid and determine the optimal target location." Colonel Ronson ordered.

"So, how's life with the Imperials, Ronson?" O'Neill grinned at his colleague.

"Not so bad. If there's one thing I can say about them, it's that they know how to build a solid ship. The one thing that creeps me out is the damn servitors. We have around fifteen thousand of them aboard, and you can't go anywhere without bumping into one." Ronson sighed.

"Yeah, I see what you mean." O'Neill commented as he watched the silent androids roam across the bridge deck.

"Sir, our scans show that the asteroid is almost ninety percent naquadah ore." Ronson frowned at the report.

"Naquadah is not native to this solar system." Carter stated.

"Which means this is not a natural event. Helmsman, move us into towing position. Divert all available power to the hyperdrive." Ronson ordered.

"You're going to bring it into hyperspace to change its course. Probably how the Goa'uld brought it here in the first place." Carter exclaimed.

"That's right. Helmsman, extend our hyperspace field around the asteroid and set course for Tollana." O'Neill turned towards Ronson in surprise.

"Why Tollana?" Jack asked.

"Have you seen the size of that thing? We're talking about millions of tons of naquadah ore, and that's not something we should waste. We'll move it in orbit of Tollana and setup mining operations." Ronson smirked.

"Yet another Goa'uld epic fail." Jack laughed.

* * *

"You sure you brought enough equipment?" Harry grinned at Willow as he watched the chain of servitors moving boxes through the Stargate.

"We want to begin immediate distribution of the drug to as many Jaffa as possible, and we also promised them weapons. I also brought something else as well. I have no idea how I managed to do it, but I managed to complete the first Exitus rifle and pistol. They are calibrated for V-001, so make sure the others don't use them. We don't want their aim to go off once they get their own guns." Willow opened the case with the powerful sniper rifle with pride.

"You've truly outdone yourself, Willow. A true masterpiece." Harry examined the weapon, noticing the insane level of precision on every piece of the gun. In the hands of a Vindicare assassin, this gun could kill anything from vast distances.

"Master Bra'tac, welcome to New Cadia. Allow me to lead you to the conference area." Harry greeted the aging Jaffa personally, as a token of respect towards what was probably one of the most revered Jaffa rebel leaders.

"Inquisitor Maybourne. Today will be a glorious day for the Jaffa. The final shackle of the Goa'uld will be finally broken and our people will be one step closer to freedom." Bra'tac smiled.

"Well said." Harry grinned. As they walked through the complex, Bra'tac noticed a rather unique group training in a field.

"That is a very reckless way to fight." Bra'tac commented as he saw the group of women charge at their targets with massive two-handed chainswords, wearing nothing more than simple robes and a head mask.

"They are our latest addition to the Order of Our Valiant Sister. They are Sisters Repentia. They have marked themselves as unworthy to become full Sisters, and now seek to earn that right through combat. When they slay a hundred foes or die in battle, they will have earned the right to be called Battle Sister." Harry explained.

"They are Jaffa." Bra'tac exclaimed as he noticed that one of the women had a symbiote pouch.

"Most of them come from a resistance group called the Hak'tyl. They were female Jaffa serving Moloc. The younger members were integrated in the Order, but the older ones did not feel like they deserved such an honor and insisted they be given the chance to earn it. Don't worry, they have more protection than just their uniforms. They have a small forcefield generator that allows them to deflect several shots, which is enough to bring them close to the enemy. And once they do…" Harry grinned as one of the Repentia cut a dummy dressed as a Jaffa in two with her Evicerator.

"I daresay they will bring about as much numbers in the rebellion as your drug will." Bra'tac smirked as Harry chuckled. And people said Jaffa had no sense of humor.

Harry had prepared an area for the Jaffa just outside the main complex as there was simply no place to put them all inside, and after a brief inspection, Bra'tac nodded in approval.

"A suitable place. I believe I will get some rest while the others arrive." Bra'tac informed him and walked to his tent.

* * *

Soon enough, the representatives of the other rebel cells began to arrive, and as the Jaffa left in small groups from the Stargate room, they were surprised when one of the Sisters yelled "Halt."

In the blink of an eye, twelve servo turrets descended from the ceiling, cycling their heavy bolters and painting the various Jaffa in the room with their targeting lasers while the two heavy combat servitors by the only exit awoke from their slumber, their numerous heavy weapons waiting only for the order to attack.

"What is the meaning of this?" One Jaffa demanded.

"This room is very carefully monitored. Our augurs detected a Goa'uld posing as a Jaffa." The Sister replied and pointed to one of the Jaffa.

"She lies." The man shouted as the Jaffa around him stepped away.

"Show us your stomach. Then we will see who lies." One Jaffa demanded, and the others quickly joined the demands.

"Refusal to do so will be considered a confession of guilt." The Sister raised her meltagun. In response, the man roared in anger and raised his staff to fire as his eyes flashed gold. The next second, the top half of his torso simply disappeared as the melta hit him straight in the face.

"Stand down." The Sister commanded and the room's security systems returned to their dormant state.

"Jaffa, hear me. Each and everyone of you is here for one reason. You realized the truth, that the Goa'uld are false gods that have been using us for far too long. The time has come for the Jaffa to be free, but I ask you, how can we be truly free if we are forced to bear the young of our enemies as a constant reminder of our enslavement?" Bra'tac addressed the crowd. "Today, this final shackle will be finally broken."

"This is the Libertas drug. It offers the same benefits of a symbiote although the healing rate is about thirty percent lower. An adult Jaffa will require about three doses a week to remain healthy. After extensive study on Jaffa tissue samples, I have determined three types of the drug depending on certain factors. This device will test your blood and determine your type. Under no circumstances should one use a type that is not your own. At best, you'll suffer a severe allergic reaction, and at worst, you will die as your immune system shuts down. Each vial is clearly marked with rings to make each type distinct and avoid confusion." Novak began her explanation.

"You guarantee this drug works? What if a Jaffa does not match any of the types?" An older Jaffa asked.

"The drug has been tested, and I guarantee it works. I have also anticipated that there might be more than three types of immune system in Jaffa, and the testing machine can determine if a person doesn't match any of the three types. If such a person appears, all I'll need is an examination and some blood samples to tailor a new type." Novak replied.

"The time for words is over, Gerak. Now is the time for action." Teal'c stood up and approached the testing machine.

"You are type two." The machine informed him and Novak took a vial marked with two rings and inserted it into an injection unit. A consequence of several Trekkies in the Mechanicus was the invention of the hypospray, which completely phased out the use of needles in the Imperium and its allies. O'Neill even sent Willow a big giftbasket when he learned that the SGC infirmary no longer used needles.

"Just press it against your neck and push the button." Novak instructed and Teal'c did so. After a few seconds, he reached into his symbiote pouch and pulled out the infant Goa'uld which began to squirm in his grip.

"Freedom." Teal'c raised it high and snapped it in half. Once the dead Goa'uld fell on the ground, the gathered Jaffa erupted in cheer.

The drug was quickly spread throughout the Jaffa, and with each manufacturing plant built, more and more Jaffa would free themselves fully from Goa'uld control. This act was considered by many the biggest step towards the eventual extinction of the Goa'uld race.

* * *

"What is your opinion Felger?" Hammond asked the Techpriest as he and his assistant examined the latest find of SG-1. On their latest mission they found an inactive android on an abandoned planet.

"It is very advanced, but not very resilient. The designer obviously intended to emulate a human. I can tell you more once we have extracted its memory files and examined them. Until then, it is my recommendation that it remains inactive." Felger replied. Considering the trouble they've gotten into thanks to advanced technology, Hammond was inclined to agree.

"After detailed examination of the android's memory files, we have determined it is an AI designed to emulate a human. Normally, I would recommend immediate destruction, but we found something very interesting in the files. It contained the designs for this." Felger showed them a very recognizable image.

"A replicator. She's the one that built them?" Carter was surprised. While she entertained many scenarios in her mind about the origin of the creatures, she never expected something like this.

"IT is the origin of the abominations, yes. The android's systems do contain a few useful technologies that can be used to enhance our servitors, but otherwise, it is my recommendation that we deliver it to the Asgard. It is more useful to them then it is to us." Felger concluded.

"How much time do you need to conclude your examinations?" Hammond asked.

"I'll be done by tomorrow." Felger replied.

"Alright. Finish your work and we'll inform the Asgard of our discovery. Dismissed.

**Omake**

**A small omake in remembrance of one of the most epic characters in sci-fi, and one I would really like to see written in an YAHF. So, here we go, and anyone that recognizes the char gets a virtual double chocolate cookie.**

Xander spared one last glance at Buffy and Willow as he revved up the bike he had somehow acquired last night. "Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast." And with a final dashing smile raced off into the sunset.

"What a guy." Buffy and Willow sighed.


	32. Chapter 32

**Alright, another new chapter done, mostly a filler to set the opening for the new season. So, read and enjoy.**

**Chapter 32**

"I am saddened by your mistrust, General Hammond. If you had contacted us sooner, Dr. Jackson's condition might not have ended in tragedy. I'm surprised Jack didn't try to contact us anyway." Harry sighed as he was briefed on the latest first contact made by SG-1. While they had discovered another relatively advanced world, it was also revealed that they were experimenting with a an unstable naquadah isotope and in an accident at the research facility, Daniel Jackson was exposed to lethal doses of radiation.

"Despite my protests, the Pentagon felt that the existence of naquadriah should be kept secret from the Imperium for the moment." Hammond replied. It didn't do them any good, as Harry had arrived a day later to inquire about the incident and pay his respect to Daniel, and the less said about the state of SG-1 the better.

"I have discussed the topic with the Techpriests, and they say that the substance is of little use to us. They did ask for some samples merely for scientific curiosity." Harry shrugged. It felt good to tell his former superiors that he could actually afford to ignore such a discovery now. "What is of a much greater concern to me is the fact that we have a planet full of humans who are considering the use of a WMD without fully understanding the consequences of such an act. Therefore, I will ask you that you introduce me to this world."

"What do you intend to do?" Hammond frowned.

"Teach them the folly of infighting when there are far greater threats in the galaxy." Harry replied calmly.

"Very well. I will send Colonel O'Neill to accompany your delegation." Hammond sighed.

"Excellent. Send him to New Cadia in two hours." Harry smiled.

Upon their arrival they were greeted by the weapons of a dozen guards, and while Jack was obviously a bit nervous about the greeting, Harry simply oozed calmness while his two Celestian bodyguards raised their own far larger weapons at the suddenly nervous soldiers. The situation was made even tenser when Willow floated through the Stargate on her throne, followed by two heavy combat servitors.

"Colonel O'Neill, we were quite clear you were no longer welcome on this world, especially after your influence turned Jonas Quinn into a traitor." The base commander was far from happy to see them, even if he was nervous about Jack's companions.

"While your animosity towards the Colonel is understandable, his presence is necessary to facilitate an introduction. Allow me to introduce myself. Inquisitor Harry Maybourne of the Ordo Xenos of the New Imperium and Fabricator General Willow Rosenberg of the Adeptus Mechanicus. As allies of the SGC we are always interested in meeting new human worlds." Harry began calmly.

"You are allied with them?" The man asked suspiciously while pointing at Jack.

"They are a valuable ally, but hardly our only one. The New Imperium is currently the strongest and most advanced human government in the galaxy." Harry shrugged.

"I will inform First Minister Valis of your arrival. I must ask that Colonel O'Neill departs our world." The man said after a few moments. Harry simply nodded, and soon enough, O'Neill left while Harry and Willow were led to a conference room to await the leader of Kelowna.

"I have to admit that the reports by SG-1 about your experiments have me worried. I really don't think you understand the destructive potential of this weapon." Harry brought the topic on the naquadria issue after a few minutes of small talk and explanations about the Imperium.

"Based on the reports we received, the weapon you consider could lead to casualties in the tens of millions if deployed on a densely inhabited area. Even used in a barren region, the long-term consequences of such an action could cause severe damage to your world. However, with our help, we could perhaps eliminate the reason for its use completely." Willow added.

"What do you propose?" Valis asked.

"We help you broker a treaty with your rival nation. The Imperium is prepared to offer this world a great deal if peace can be achieved. Resources, technology, even settlement rights on other planets under our control." Harry replied.

"The other nations don't know about the Stargate. Revealing it could cause them to attack us." Valis stated.

"We can always bring a ship to this world and park it in low orbit. It is in your best interest to broker a peace treaty." 'Whether you like it or not.' That last part was left unspoken, but Valis understood it quite clearly.

* * *

The other two governments of Langara were greatly surprised when they received a request by Kelowna for a joint summit, but that was nothing compared to the revelations the diplomats received when they were introduced to Harry.

After several days of debate, a peace treaty was finally reached. The three nations would unite under a single government, disclose the existence of the Stargate and the Imperium, while the Imperium would provide food and other resources as well as help Langara catch up to the rest of the Imperial worlds. The public disclosure of the situation was met with mixed reactions by the general populace of Langara. While some were relieved that the threat of war was finally lifted from their heads, others saw the Imperium as nothing but conquerors, here to lay claim to their world with empty promises.

When an announcement was made that Harry would appear to welcome Langara as the newest ally of the New Imperium, the Langarans that opposed the alliance saw this as an opportunity, and just as Harry began to speak, large sections of the crowd began to shout against the alliance, and it was quite clear that a full-blown riot was about to break out. With unexpected calmness, Harry simply pressed a small button on the beaded rosary hanging from his right wrist and remained standing on the podium.

The crowd was just about to storm the stage when some of the people noticed something shining in the sky. A few seconds later, more and more people stopped to look as the large square was bathed in golden light. In less than a minute, the entire city had fallen silent as Faith stopped her descent just above the crowd, her golden aura glowing like a sun above the crowd.

"This is not the way." Her soft voice echoed in the silent square, and more than one man bowed their head in shame. "You are confused and angry that you have been lied to, and that is understandable. If a man works, he must know what for. If he fights, he must know what for. If he dies, he must know what for. I am here to reveal to you this purpose. The purpose of not just Langara, but all of humanity."

And so, she told the crowd of the God-Emperor, His works, and of mankind's Divine Purpose. When she finished, hours later, every last man, woman and child in the crowd raised their arms and cheered, along with practically the entire planet considering this event was broadcast on radios all over the world.

"I will never cease to be amazed of the power His Saints possess. They were ready to spill blood, and one speech from you and even Larry would not doubt their piety." Harry grinned once they were back on New Cadia.

"I merely showed them the path. They were the ones who saw it as the true way and embraced it in their hearts." Faith shrugged.

"Another heavily militarized planet will be great asset to our forces. Once they catch up to a higher tech standard and we replace their outdated equipment with Imperial tech, I fully expect to gather several Imperial Guard regiments from that world." Harry added.

"And we are thus one step closer to our ultimate goal." Faith grinned and headed towards the chapel to speak to the priests about her schedule. Her presence always helped sway the undecided and grant succor to the faithful.

* * *

Some time after, and in a region well outside Imperial influence, a single Asgard ship stood opposed by a pair of Ha'tak in high orbit of a planet. As Thor watched his shots dissipate on the Goa'uld shields without effect after his warnings went unheeded, he cursed the fact he couldn't arrive in one of the newer or even one of the refit ships as he rushed towards his escape pod, but not before he sent a message.

With the Asgard ship destroyed, the Goa'uld moved to claim their true prize, Thor himself.

Two Jaffa stood next to the ring platform when the seven foot long escape pod appeared. Just as they moved to open it, sections of it began to unfold and shift. In seconds, what was a seven foot long oval pid was now a humanoid robot with Thor safely inside. As his arm mounted autocannons cycled into a ready state, the Jaffa could swear, just before a stream of bullets turned them into mush, that the Asgard had a smirk on his usually impassive face.

When the Sword of Vengeance arrived two hours later, they were greeted by the remains of one Ha'tak and the disabled hulk of the other.

"A most impressive victory, Supreme Commander." Lord Admiral Parsy complimented Thor once he was transported to her ship.

"Thank you, Lord Admiral. It has been far too long since I have personally fought in battle. Our newest combat armor performed far beyond our expectations. Now, would you be so kind as to provide us with a ride home?" Thor asked. He had informed the Imperials that the planet he was protecting had a research outpost of the utmost importance to the Asgard, and the Imperium was quick to come to help them evacuate it.

"By all means. Bring all reactors to full power. Charge the hyperdrive and set course for the Ida galaxy."

Weeks had passed since that day, and things were going well for the Imperium. Its influence has spread on many worlds, with millions ready to fight in its name. More ships were almost ready to join its fleets, and every day, more and more Jaffa renounced the lies of the Goa'uld and embraced the Emperor as their one true god. However, things would soon take a turn for the worse.

* * *

In Colorado, Dr. Frasier nearly had a heart attack when her daughter collapsed in the middle of dinner and began screaming. Fortunately, after a few moments, the teenager calmed down, although her face was pale and troubled.

"Something terrible has happened. I need to speak to Xander immediately." Cassandra tried to stand up, but her mother kept her from moving.

"You're not going anywhere, young lady. You just had a seizure and you want to go clear half across the country?" Dr. Frasier's tone was adamant.

"It wasn't a seizure. There was a pulse of energy from the Warp. It was like a flashbang going off in front of your face. If you're worried, you can come with me. I promise the first place we visit will be the medicae." Cassandra gave her mother a pleading stare.

When they arrived in Sunnydale, Cassandra was surprised to find Dawn and Xander already with the medicae. After a quick checkup, she was given a clean bill of health and could finally get to the reason behind her arrival.

"We all felt it. Even some of the more psychically attuned members of our force felt something. Something has occurred in the Warp, and Giles said that his scrying revealed the traces of a spell of incredible power. I'm not sure exactly what has happened tonight, I am certain it can be nothing good." Xander sighed.

"What do we do now?" Cassandra asked nervously.

"We'll have to work harder than ever now. It doesn't matter what it is we're facing. It will not find us unprepared." Xander replied.

In LA, detective Kate Lockley was on her way back to the precinct to end her shift when she received a call for backup from a patrol car. Since she was rather close, she changed her course to the incident scene.

"What's the situation?" She asked the two officers standing at the mouth of a small alley.

"We got a report about strange noise in this alley. When we arrived we found two dead hobos. One had a broken neck, the other had his chest completely caved in. When we moved further, we found a naked girl cowering behind a dumpster. When we approached to help her, she screamed 'Stay away' and tried to punch Martin. He's lucky he dodged it, her punch dented the dumpster like it was made of tinfoil." The cop reported.

"Stay here. If I don't call back in fifteen minutes, get out of here and forget you were ever here." Kate suspected something mystical was afoot here, and if so, she didn't want to see two good cops lose their lives.

"Hi there. Don't worry, I won't hurt y… Buffy?" Kate's words froze in her throat the moment the cowering girl raised her head to look at her. Even though they had never met, Kate knew what the girl looked like. She even managed to attend her funeral.

"What's Buffy?" Kate was broken out of her reverie by a confused voice.

"It's your name. Your full name is Elizabeth Anne Summers, but your friends call you Buffy." Kate replied quickly. It seemed Buffy had lost her memory for some reason.

"Are you my friend?" Buffy asked nervously.

"I am friends with your friends. I can take you to them if you want." Kate hoped Buffy would accept her offer. She knew what she was capable of, and even without memories she didn't think she stood a good chance of surviving if Buffy decided she was a threat, and if by some chance she was unfortunate enough to actually kill Buffy, putting the next bullet in her own head would be the smartest thing she could do.

"Ok." Buffy nodded after a minute and stood up. This revealed that she was clutching a metal box emblazoned with the Imperial Aquila.

"What's that you have there?" Kate asked as Buffy pressed the box into her chest, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"It's for the red Martian." She said firmly.

"Alright. Here, you can have my coat." Kate took off her jacket and handed it to her. Buffy took it and put it on but Kate noticed she made sure she kept her distance from her and never let go of the box.

"Alright, stand back and give her some space. She's doesn't remember anything so she was probably just confused and scared. Fortunately, I recognized her. She was reported missing over two months ago. She has some friends here in LA that will be real glad to see her alive and well." Kate informed the two cops.

"What should we say we found, ma'am?" One of them asked.

"Nothing. The girl has some very powerful enemies. People that can make you disappear so thoroughly even your own mother will deny she ever heard of you, so I'd advise you to go home and forget all about this." The officers were confused, but since she was their superior, decided it was for the best if they obeyed.

Kate's mind was working overtime, trying to make sense of the situation. She had no idea what had happened to Buffy or why she was here, but she knew that her return would cause a shitstorm of epic proportions.

* * *

"Please stay here and I'll go get your friends." Kate left Buffy in the lobby of the hotel that Angel Investigations used as their base and went to find Cordelia and the others.

"This better be important, Kate. I don't want to interrupt…" Cordelia's complaining ceased the moment she saw Buffy, sitting nervously in one of the chairs in the lobby, still covered only by Kate's coat.

"Buffy, you're back." She whispered as tears welled in her eyes. Without any more words, she rushed forward and embraced her friend in a tight hug. The hug lasted only a few seconds before Cordelia realized Buffy was completely naked beneath the coat.

"Come on, you need some new clothes. I feel so dirty." Cordelia shook her head and dragged Buffy towards her room. "Wesley, contact Sunnydale and tell Xander to bring Dawn and Willow here."

Ten minutes later, the two girls returned to the lobby only for Buffy to be impacted by a brown-haired missile.

Buffy looked down at the girl that was currently latched like a tick on her chest and was doing a very good job of soaking her shirt through, her mind straining to figure out just who she was.

"I know you, but I don't know why." Buffy finally spoke after a minute.

"I'm your sister Dawn. You don't remember me?" Dawn's voice broke when she heard her sister say that. Xander's revelation about her origin troubled her greatly, and now she feared that whatever spell gave Buffy the memories of her sister was now broken.

"I can't remember a thing. But you are important to me. I can feel it." Buffy smiled and put her arm around Dawn.

"We still need to verify she really is Buffy." Willow warned the group. "I brought a device that can help us determine it. All I need is a blood sample."

"Are you the red Martian?" Buffy noticed Willow's red hair and walked up to her.

"I guess I can be called that as well." Willow nodded. Happily, Buffy handed her the metal box she was holding. Willow took it and handed it to Xander to hold while she tested Buffy. After a tense fifteen minute wait, Willow confirmed that she was indeed genetically identical to the DNA data they had in their database. This helped the crowd to relax, and Xander offered to help her investigate the condition of her mind while Willow began to tinker with the box Buffy gave her. The lock was a simple AdMech code, and inside it, all she found was a data storage device and three bio sample containers.

"By the Omnissiah." She gasped when she accessed the data in the device.

"What is it?" Xander turned to her.

"This device contains data for a number of production patterns that will be useful to us, but more important is what's inside these." Willow replied and opened the vial, extracting a glass tube from the metal casing.

"That's a gene-seed." Xander exclaimed.

"To be exact, it is a gene-seed extracted directly from Leman Russ." Willow's words shocked them into silence.

"And the others?" Xander whispered.

"Sanguinius and Guilliman." Willow said. "There is also an implantation method that works a lot faster and with a ninety-five percent for success, but only when used on candidates with specific traits. On others, we'll have to use the standard method. There's also a note saying that the flaws in Sanguinius's sample have been corrected."

"You know what this means, don't you? It means we're still not ready." Xander cursed. 'Haven't we prepared enough, my Emperor?'

"I will make preparations for the production of armor and equipment and we'll organize genetic testing across the Imperium to identify candidates for the improved process. What is Buffy's condition?" Willow asked.

"As far as I can tell, her memories are not lost, she merely cannot access them. I can help her a little, but her recovery will take time. It could be months before they're back." Xander sighed. He hated to see his usually confident friend so weak and confused.

"In that case, we should get back to Sunnydale. I'm sure Buffy would like to get some rest. We can all catch up once she starts to remember us." Willow suggested, and with a yawn, Buffy confirmed it, so with a quick goodbye, the quartet left in a flash of light.

* * *

The news of Buffy's return spread throughout the New Imperium like wildfire and further galvanized its inhabitants, causing celebrations on many worlds while the priests and missionaries milked this new miracle for all it was worth.

"How goes the testing for the new Space Marines?" Harry asked Novak. As Magos Biologis, she was put in charge of testing the entire population of the New Imperium, a daunting task considering there were millions of people now living under its banner.

"Slow. There are too many people to test and too little testers to do it. A further complication is the fact we're actually doing two tests. The first is the standard test the Space Marines use, and the second is the one for the new method." Novak replied.

"How many have you identified so far?" Harry nodded in sympathy for the Magos.

"Close to a hundred, and at the current rate, we expect to locate at least a thousand candidates amongst the human and Jaffa population." Novak explained.

"The Jaffa are viable subjects as well?" Harry was surprised by that bit of news.

"Yes, but only young Jaffa who have yet to carry a symbiote. And my final headache are the Cimmerians. They insist that they alone be given the honor of joining the Sons of Russ." Novak sighed.

"Can they provide enough candidates?" Harry asked.

"Well, we have identified around thirty candidates for the new method and around thirty for the old one, and we're still barely half-way through the planet's population." Novak replied.

"In that case, grant their request, but I want them to understand that all mutants that the process creates will be their responsibility to destroy. We'll direct the candidates from the other worlds in the other two chapters." Harry ordered and Novak nodded and stood up. "I should get back to work, then."

. While the testing was proceeding, Willow was busy establishing production sites for their equipment and training, while Xander was busy writing copies of the Codex Astartes as well as helping the Techpriests determine the best ways to perform the procedures since they were something the Chapters did themselves under the oversight of their Apothecaries and Tech-Marines.

* * *

Taking a quick break, Willow also made a visit to Pylea, now tied to Earth with a permanent portal to talk with Magos Lee.

"What do you think, Bill?" Willow asked the cyborg after handing him a data crystal.

"It will take time, and I'll need some special equipment. We'll have to push the demon scum harder in the mines if we want to meet our quotas and this project, but they breed fast enough for our needs and the rapid maturation tanks we've constructed work rather well with their physiology, even if it does shorten their lifespan considerably. And with the explosive implants they all have, we can exterminate them all if they try to rebel." Bill replied.

"I'll get you the equipment and the more complex parts in time. Just make sure you complete the project. And Bill, I want no word of this project leaving Pylea." Willow warned him.

"Saving it for a surprise, huh? Don't worry, ma'am. No one will know about it until it's complete." Bill assured her.

**AN And Buffy is back in action, with some new toys for the Imperium as well. Of course, her return will not be without consequences, ones that will be much more severe then what they were in canon. **

**On another note, here's a short snip about an idea that's been stuck in my head for over two months, insisting I write it.**

Harry stood before a great mass of people as well as floating camera drones broadcasting his words to many others. He smiled a bit under his immaculately trimmed beard while the lights from the camera drones brought the very faint lightning bolt shaped scar that was prominent on his forehead in sharper focus.

"My children, hear me. I know you are scared, for yourselves and for your brothers and sisters, for your families and your children. But remember, when the GDA sought to crush us, we stood firm and fought them back. When the Turian Hierarchy invaded Shanxi, it was we who fought them back. When the Batarians launched the Skyllian Blitz, it was we who fought them back and it was we who sacked Adek and freed those they had kidnapped." Here, he paused as the crowd erupted in cheer. "When the whole galaxy turned their backs to the Quarians, we stood by their side, and together as brothers and sisters we fought the geth and retook Rannoch. And now, when the Reapers are finally here, while the SDA and the Citadel Council cower in fear, we will show these soulless machines that the Brotherhood of Nod cannot and will not be defeated. Remember, one vision, one purpose."

"Peace through power! Peace through power! Peace through power! Peace through power!" The crowd cheered in frenzy when he finished.


	33. Chapter 33

**Well, it's been a while, but I finally managed to corner my muse and convince it to inspire me again. This chapter carries the big reveal about who and why caused all that had happened so far, and also introduces a few new enemies for the Imperium. So, read and enjoy.**

**Chapter 33**

"Damn, how the hell is she so good at this again?" Dawn grumbled as Buffy once again completed the day's psyker training a lot faster than she did.

"A skilled psyker can shield themselves and draw power from the Warp instantly and subconsciously. Her body knows what to do, even if she doesn't remember it." Xander explained for what he felt was the millionth time. "And her yet another increase in ability doesn't hurt either."

"Careful Dawn, your jealousy is showing." Buffy stuck out her tongue at the girl who gave her a glare followed by a short pout which quickly turned into a smile.

"How are your memories?" Xander asked her after a few moments.

"I'm starting to remember things. Being here helps, and the daily meditations are doing a lot as well. I hope I'll remember everything in a couple of weeks." Buffy replied.

"Well, we're done here, so you're free to go. I believe Cordelia is here looking for a fight." Xander grinned.

After a long and tiring spar against the greatly improving Commissar, Buffy retired to her room for a quick shower and the continuation of her meditation, hoping to unlock more of her blocked memories.

* * *

_flashback start_

Everywhere she turned, she saw an endless expanse of swirling colors that she recognized as the Warp. Her eyes were looking down into an area before her feet where images of her friends were shown into the swirling energies.

"I wasn't expecting visitors." She stated and turned her head to the side where a man and a woman wearing robes concealing their forms. As she stood before them, the main difference between became apparent, since Buffy was thirty feet tall.

"We felt it was time to talk to you." The man spoke.

"So speak then. You can begin by introducing yourselves." Buffy shrugged as she shrunk down to human form and sat on a chair formed from the energies of the Empyrian.

"We are here as representatives of the Powers That Be. You have perhaps heard of us?" The woman spoke this time.

"Yes, and I guess you're the beings responsible for everything that's happened since Halloween?" Buffy locked her gaze with their concealed faces, her eyes burning with power.

"We arranged the enhanced costumes for you and your friends and ensured you kept your changes." The Powers replied.

"Obviously you put great thought into your whole plan. So I have to ask, why the Imperium? Out of all the choices you could have made, why that particular one?" Buffy asked with some heat in her tone.

"It was indeed a difficult decision, and one not made lightly. Many of us asked if this interference was even necessary. We already had plans you see, but we successfully argued that the plans already in place were too risky considering what was at stake." The woman began.

"I'm still not hearing an answer." Buffy pointed out.

"We'll get to that, but first, you need to understand why we acted in the first place. This reality is in fact the battleground between the forces of good under our guidance, and the forces of evil under the command of the First Evil. When the Slayer line was split with your revival after your encounter with the Master, the First gained a big advantage which although not apparent immediately, could have brought him a victory. We did what we could to curb its influence, but our choices were limited." The man joined in.

"However, some of us managed to hatch a plan. We do have the ability of prescience, and we foresaw Ethan Rayne's little game for Halloween. Now, the spell was chaotic magic, and as such outside ours or the First's sphere of influence. Normally we dare not involve ourselves in such acts, as their results are impossible to predict, but this time, we decided that the benefits outweighed the risks. However, the big dilemma that now presented itself was, just how were we to change things?" The woman continued the tale.

"We considered hundreds, if not thousands of options, but ultimately decided on the Imperium for several factors. First, and most importantly, we needed people who would fight fire with fire. Basically, people who would tip the scales against us, but at the same time actually damage the First's plans." Buffy interrupted this time. "Wait, you mean you wanted us to be evil?"

"In a way. Every murder, every crime you did limited the First's influence in your reality, but at the same time, your crusade against demons and hostile aliens is actually wrecking his plans and he can't do anything about it since your actions have already afforded him too much influence already." The man answered her.

"Fighting evil by committing evil. What a novel concept. I am really not happy about all this, but I can understand. You said you had other reasons for choosing the Imperium?" Buffy sighed. She would never forget the fact that the Powers turned her into a monster, but she understood their reasoning.

"The second criteria was religion. Faith is the most powerful weapon humanity has against demons. We needed individuals with unshakable faith, and what better place to find zealots then in the Imperium? And that brings us to the third criteria. While we were more partial to a mystical empowerment, our allies suggested a technological path, and in retrospect, they were right." The woman explained.

"Allies? Who else is involved in this?" Buffy frowned before realization struck her. "The Ascended Ancients, of course."

"I thought they had strict laws about non-interference." Buffy remembered her discussions with Orlin about the Ascended.

"And they haven't interfered. We merely discussed a few topics with them as an intellectual exercise, like for example 'How would the Imperium of Man fare in our own reality?' or 'How to improve the enhancement process for Space Marines?' or 'Do you remember your old constructor factory in Sunnydale?'" Buffy swore she saw a slight smirk under the man's hood as he said that.

"Grey areas and wiggle room huh?" Buffy grinned. As long as the Ascended took no direct action, their hands were clean, but she guessed they had a vested interest in clearing up some of the messes they had left behind.

"Unfortunately, the First managed to throw us a curve ball. His manipulations led to your encounter with Glorificus and your subsequent ascension to the Warp." The woman sighed. "This single act could undo everything we've accomplished since Halloween. If you become a full Warp God, the consequences for this reality will be catastrophic."

"Not if, but when. My power is growing with every passing day, since I am the only sentient entity in the Warp. We're lucky it's so calm, or I would have become a full-blown God already. The problem is, there's nothing I can do about it but wait for the inevitable Warp storms to ravage the galaxy." Buffy sighed.

"You alone may not be able to do anything, but perhaps with our help, we may figure something out. However, you realize that either way, the First outsmarted us with this one. If we leave you here, the resulting Warp storms will cause untold devastation. And if we return you to human form, it will give it a chance to bring new players to the game." The Powers pointed out.

"Whatever it sends after us, we will overcome it, but I cannot allow myself to remain here and become the very thing I swore my life to destroy." Buffy said firmly.

"Then prepare yourself. The process will give you temporary amnesia, but that is merely a side-effect of the transition to a physical form. Of course, for your own sanity, the knowledge you had gained after your ascension will be purged from your mind." There was a bright flash of light, and Buffy found herself snapped out of her meditation.

_flashback end_

* * *

Her revelation of the origin and the purpose of the New Imperium was of course restricted to the highest echelons of the Imperium, and other than her core group, only Harry knew the whole story.

"What do you think this First Evil will do now that he's got room to maneuver again?" Giles asked wearily. He was getting tired of seeing his charges suffer increasingly difficult challenges.

"That depends on how much leeway he's gotten. The best we can do is continue to prepare as hard as we can and hope it will be enough." Buffy sighed.

Their contemplations were broken the next day when the SGC contacted them about a serious threat. It seemed Anubis had found some sort of device and was currently causing the Stargate to slowly overcharge, leading to its eventual destruction. Since they couldn't dial New Cadia themselves, they called Sunnydale to ask if they had an alternate means to contact Harry.

"Don't worry general, I have the utmost confidence that Harry will solve this matter rapidly. But, it might be wise to move an Avenger to the SGC just in case." Xander assured general Hammond, since Buffy's return was still a secret.

Using the combined resources of Harry's network, the Tok'ra and the Jaffa rebels, it took less than a day to locate the site of Anubis's weapon, and Harry ordered the two newest frigates, the Hammer of Optrisia and the Light of Tollana to the system to neutralize it. The two frigates were surprised when the two ships that guarded the planet retreated the moment they entered the system, and weary of traps, they moved into orbit and opened fire on the device on the surface. When nothing unexpected happened, the two frigates simply retreated. After analyzing the situation, Imperial officers concluded that the plan was a gamble on Anubis's part, hoping to destroy Earth's Stargate before his base was discovered.

Harry was especially pleased that the enigmatic Goa'uld's plans continued to fail as he had proven to be a very dangerous foe. Obtaining the authority and power of a System Lord would not be good news for the Imperium.

* * *

Some time had passed since, and having recovered her memories in full, Buffy was handed the title Master of the Administratum from Harry, who remained head of the Inquisition. Currently, Buffy was dealing with a report from Magos Novak who had just returned from Antarctica with an Ancient woman suffering the after-effects of some sort of disease. Novak managed to devise the means to cure the disease which had spread to the base crew where the woman was found, but the woman had already suffered significant neurological damage before she was cured. As a consequence, her memories were almost completely erased. Knowing how useful another Ancient could be in their ranks, Novak managed to successfully argue the transfer of the woman to Sunnydale where they could hopefully repair most of the damage and re-educate the woman that had adopted the name Ayiana which one of the scientists had given her.

A big help with her was Orlin whose fascination with the Cult Mechanicus unfortunately led to the distancing between himself and Major Carter, but the man wasn't heartbroken for long because while Major Carter could not accept Orlin's new way of life, Techpriest Carter was far more understanding and the two grew closer rather quickly.

"There were no survivors then?" Buffy frowned when Harry delivered her a report of a small Jaffa rebel settlement that went dark suddenly.

"No, but the corpses we found only account for a fraction of the population. The thing that worries me is the autopsies of the corpses we did recover. Some were killed by monomolecular blades, others had wounds similar to that of those made by power weapons, and finally, we recovered microscopic shards of what I was told is an incredibly potent toxin. So, are we dealing with what I think we're dealing?" Harry gave her a hard look.

"That does sound like a Dark Eldar raid alright. The question is, do they have a ship or are they a ground based force?" Buffy sighed. It seemed the first pawns of the First have revealed themselves.

"What do you recommend we do?" Harry asked.

"Send a couple of frigates to patrol the area in case they have a ship, but tell them to be very careful. If they do have a ship, it will be very dangerous to face, and make sure they have enough soldiers with them in case the bastards manage to board them. Ensure that all our member worlds maintain vigilance over their Stargates and any objects that land from space. I may sound callous by saying this, but the Dark Eldar are not a major threat. They're nasty pieces of work, but in the end, they're nothing more than pirates. A nuisance rather than a real threat." Buffy informed Harry.

* * *

While the Imperium was busy trawling the affected region in an unsuccessful attempt to find the Dark Eldar raiders, Buffy received a message from Harry that the SGC had requested an urgent meeting, and the man asked which one of them would attend this.

"I think it's time we revealed my return. Inform them a representative will arrive at the scheduled time."

The next day, the SGC staff was understandably shocked when Buffy arrived with her customary Battle Sister escorts.

"Damn, doesn't anyone stay dead with you guys?" O'Neill commented.

"I wasn't technically dead, Colonel. Now, you said you had urgent business to discuss, General Hammond?" Buffy turned to the SGC commander.

"Please, follow me Ms. Summers." Hammond led her to the briefing room, where Major Davis and Senator Kinsey were already waiting. Again, their surprise at seeing Buffy alive and well was most amusing to her.

"Thank you for your prompt arrival Ms. Summers. If you'd allow me, I'll get straight to the point. The US government has decided that it is no longer in our interest to continue the cooperation with the New Imperium of Man, and we wish to sever our relationship." Kinsey informed her.

"Well, this is certainly unexpected. May I ask why you made such a decision?" Buffy asked.

"As your allies, it is implied we support all actions you take. The President has decided that this is something we can no longer do." Kinsey replied.

"That is your prerogative, however, there are a few things I'd like to negotiate in absence of our alliance. The first is of course the complete withdrawal of all Imperial assets from US control. The second is the granting of Imperial citizenship of all US citizens that request it. Third is the completion of the delivery of the second group of inmates for the penal legions since most of the work was already done and they were going to be transferred next week anyway. Fourth, a non-aggression pact with the US. And fifth, the transfer of the second Stargate to Sunnydale." Buffy informed them.

"Why should we give you a Stargate?" Kinsey asked.

"As you know, we ship a great deal of items to New Cadia and Tollana. We could make arrangements to move them by ship, but that would mean bringing a ship to this system which would jeopardize secrecy, not to mention cause delays in our production schedules. We are willing to coordinate gate activities with the SGC to prevent any SG teams to arrive in Sunnydale, and besides, we intend to use our gate for outgoing traffic only." Buffy replied.

"I will discuss your proposal with the President, but for now you may begin retrieving your assets and personal." Kinsey said and stood up.

"I'll inform Felger and Angstrom to inventory our equipment here and prepare it for teleportation to Sunnydale. General Hammond, please inform your subordinates that if anyone wishes to transfer to the Imperial forces, they and their families will be welcome on New Cadia or any of the worlds under Imperial control." Buffy turned to Hammond who simply nodded. She could see that the man wasn't happy about the whole arrangement.

"So, what in the Warp caused this sudden ending of our alliance?" Buffy was in her office together with Felger and Harry over communicator.

"Two weeks ago, SG-6 returned from a mission. After their briefing, we've determined that there was no record of their mission in the computers, and even the address they traveled to was not found in the dialing computer. We made some discrete inquiries, but we've had no luck. It seems the Pentagon didn't want us to learn what it is they found. Also, SG-6 is one of the teams that is not really sympathetic to the Imperium, so we've had no luck on that front as well." Felger replied.

"So, they found something they feel will give them an edge against the Goa'uld even without our aid. What do you think Harry?" Buffy frowned.

"It is possible they found some cache of technology, but it would have to be something significant if they think they don't need us in their corner anymore. It is possible they are also considering aggressive action against us in the future." Harry commented.

"We're too large to take out easily, and unlike the Goa'uld, we're well organized and we know how to deal with spies and saboteurs. For now, we'll observe them discretely. If a situation develops that requires more direct intervention, we'll act." Buffy ordered.

* * *

The following days passed in a flurry of activity as the vast Imperial arsenal loaned to the SGC was retrieved and redistributed to various Imperial worlds. With the equipment also came a number of former SGC personal, who had decided that following the Imperium was the better than staying with the US, and they had brought with them their families, who would use the newly acquired Stargate in Sunnydale to travel to New Cadia, where the soldiers and scientists would be assigned to their final postings, while their families would be sent to their planet of choice.

"I still can't believe they let all these people just walk away. The SGC just lost a third of their SG teams and almost a quarter of their support staff. I don't like this. We're missing something here." Buffy frowned as she watched the people walk through the Stargate. The influx of weapons and equipment would help their forces greatly, and Kendra's presence would also serve as a major morale boost.

"Perhaps this is yet another act by the First?" Xander suggested. Since her return, Buffy had come to rely even more heavily on her friend, and nowadays, he more often than not in her presence.

"It might be, but until we know exactly what is going on, we won't know how to deal with it." Buffy sighed.

"It has brought the Dark Eldar to this galaxy. Perhaps another enemy from the Imperium has been drawn here as well." Xander offered.

"It's possible, although I hope not. The damn xenos are hard enough to hunt down as it is. It's like chasing shadows with those bastards. Since they've managed to figure out the Stargates, we don't even know where their primary base is. All we have to show for our search are a bunch of ruined settlements and a lot of scared citizens. We have to catch at least some of them and soon if only to prove to the people that they are not invincible." Buffy sighed.

"And we may have yet another enemy to deal with if our suspicions about the SGC are correct. If Dark Eldar are present, do you think the SGC encountered their kin?" Xander asked.

"Unlikely. They would sooner kill any human that discovered them before they cooperated, and Hammond is not dumb enough to trust them even if they did. Orks, Tyranids and Necrons are also out, they would never work with humans although the Tyranids might be a possibility." Buffy frowned in thought as she took a sip of brandy.

"You think the SGC has been infiltrated by Genestealers?" Xander turned towards her. Even the possibility of such abominations on Holy Terra filled him with rage.

"I only mentioned it as a possibility. None of the SGC staff exhibits the behavior of an infected host and the Asgard satellite has sensors sensitive enough to detect such a thing anyway. There are only two possible foes that could have subverted the SGC against us. The Tau or…"

"Chaos." Xander hissed, his eyes narrowing into slits at the thought of the Great Enemy.

"Of course, considering how calm the Warp is here, we would have sensed the presence of Chaos if the traitors were to get anywhere near this world." Buffy pointed out.

"So, the Tau are the most likely suspects." Xander stated.

"I believe so, but that doesn't mean other enemies are not present in the galaxy. The Great Enemy may well be here already, as well as others. The galaxy is a big place after all." Buffy sighed.

"We need to find these new enemies before they undo all our labors. We cannot allow them or this First Evil to destroy the New Imperium." Xander said firmly.

"We are not ready to conduct a search of that magnitude. I have every available ship and Avenger fighter scouting the galaxy, and the Jaffa rebels are also feeding us every scrap of info they can get. The Tok'ra have apparently decided to support the US although they have agreed to forward us any relevant information to us." Buffy scoffed at the last part.

"Xeno scum. The sooner we exterminate them the better." Xander commented.

* * *

While Buffy was busy thinking about the consequences of the SGC falling under the influence of their enemies, she was surprised to receive a request by said organization for the services of Magos Novak on a newly scouted planet.

"Inquisitor Summers, this is a surprise." O'Neill commented as she walked out of the Stargate with Novak and their guards.

"I was curious and it was a slow day at the office." Buffy shrugged.

"Well, welcome to Pangar. I hate to rush you, but time is of the essence." O'Neill gestured for them to follow him. They were led to a facility where Buffy was surprised to discover a great number of Goa'uld symbiotes.

"I hope you have a very good explanation, Colonel." Buffy turned to SG-1 who were speaking with several Pangarans and two Tok'ra.

"The Pangarans are using them to produce a drug that boosts their immune system." Carter explained.

"Hmm, similar formula to the Libertas drug. Far too crude and unrefined though. Too many impurities and the latest batches show a significant drop in efficiency." Lindsey commented as she had already interfaced with their systems and read through their data.

"The Pangarans are completely dependant of the drug, and without it, many will die. We've also discovered that the queen they're using to breed the symbiotes is Egeria, the mother of the Tok'ra." Daniel informed her. "We were hoping you'd be able to save her."

"What do you think Lindsey?" Buffy turned to Novak, while sending a psychic message to the cyborg. 'The creature must not survive.'

"I must examine her and determine the damage before I can comment. As for the Pangarans, it shouldn't be too difficult to modify the Libertas for their use. Their facilities may even be used to manufacture the Jaffa version which would help the rebellion greatly." Novak replied, showing no sign she even received Buffy's message.

A tense fifteen minutes passed as Novak examined Egeria with a variety of instruments. Personally, Buffy thought it funny watching the two Tok'ra flinch every time one of Novak's surgical instruments came close to their queen.

"There is nothing I can do. The damage is far too extensive to repair. It's only a matter of time." Novak informed them. "I can show you how to manufacture a substitute for your drug if you'd like."

"Of course. Right this way." The Pangarans led her away, but one of them turned towards the Tok'ra and offered his condolences and apology.

"So, what happens now?" O'Neill asked as he shot Buffy a look full of suspicion.

"Without a queen, it will be difficult if not impossible to replenish our numbers. The Tok'ra may very well die out in the future." The Tok'ra were understandably depressed when not even Imperial technology could save their queen.

"I am sure you will find a way. If you'll excuse me, I have a new planetary government to turn to our way of thinking." Buffy grinned and walked away.

"Son of a bitch. We just handed them another advanced world." O'Neill cursed.

"We had no choice. Imperial genetic technology is perhaps the most advanced we have access to. Not even _they_ can compare." Carter reminded him.

"Still, what do you bet that this time next month, this whole planet will be decked with Aquila flags?" O'Neill turned to his team.

"That's a sucker bet and you know it. By tomorrow, this planet will be crawling with missionaries and techpriests." Daniel sighed.

"Alright kids. Time to head back home and tell the boss we got caught with our pants down again." O'Neill rubbed his face tiredly. He, along with several other officers were against the termination of their alliance with the New Imperium, but in the end, they had remained in the hope that their leaders had made the right choice.

**AN/ I hope you approve of this little shift in US/Imperial relations and what that means for the future of the two organizations. More surprises will follow in the future chapters as well as the beginning of conflicts between the various factions. And now, a brief glimpse into something that may or may not be ever written.**

A redheaded woman in a simple uniform stared in confusion at the hologram portraying a ship that was around the same size as the one she was on, but was of a design that was completely alien to her. To add to her confusion were the letters proclaiming the ship's name to be the 'Blade of Terra' along with the mark of a large capitol I with a skull in the middle and three crossbars framing the skull. What added to her confusion were sensor readings informing her the ship was made of unknown alloys and had systems she couldn't even begin to recognize.

"Hail them, Joker." The woman spoke after a moment, and her subordinate complied, opening a channel to the unknown ship that had appeared out of nowhere before them mere moments ago.

"This is Council Spectre Commander Jane Sheppard of the SSV Normandy to unknown vessel. Identify yourself and state your purpose." She sent, and moments later, she got her reply.

"This is Cassandra Frasier, agent of the Ordo Xenos of the God-Emperor's Most Holy Inquisition. By His will, we bring the words of the God-Emperor of Mankind to this galaxy." The woman that replied managed to intimidate even the normally stoic Sheppard. Despite the fact she wore a set of ornate and advanced looking set of armor, it was her face that was the most scary. Her hair was pulled into a severe ponytail while her face bore several deep scars. One of her eyes was replaced by a cybernetic replacement that shined with an ominous red light, while her other eye sparked with barely restrained power.

'As if the Reapers weren't enough.' Sheppard sighed as she could feel the headache this encounter would cause her. 'Sometimes I wonder why I bother getting out of bed in the morning.'


	34. Chapter 34

**Well, it's been a long time since the last chapter, and I apologize for that, but as you know, RL is rarely fair. I hope you enjoy this chapter, although I feel that parts of it were a bit rushed. Also, I have to point out a mistake in the last chapter, when I wrote Daniel instead of Jonas. So, read and enjoy.**

**Chapter 34**

"I'm surprised you allowed things to progress this far Cordelia. This is hardly a minor issue." Buffy frowned as she stood next to her friend and looked down at a small baby sleeping in a crib before them. On the other side of the room sat Angel, looking nervously at the two women that were currently debating the fate of his newborn son.

"I was too busy with more pressing issues and Angel assured me that the matter was being dealt with." Cordelia responded.

"There's no need to assign blame. We need to decide how to proceed." Buffy sighed.

"You're not going to kill him, are you?" Angel asked softly. The way Buffy's hand rested on her inferno pistol did nothing to ease his anxiety.

"Not without proof of demonic taint. I will take him to Sunnydale where he will be tested thoroughly. If he is free of corruption, I will return him to you. If not, I promise you it will be quick." Buffy replied softly.

"Do what you must." Angel bowed his head, knowing that to protest things would be futile and only cause further trouble for himself. His one hope was that his son was indeed free of his taint.

Still, there was also a sense of relief when Buffy vanished with his son. Already, several different factions had engaged them, hoping to gain control of his son, and only the forces that Cordelia managed to gather and organize were the reason why they weren't successful yet.

He took a look out the window and shivered at the thought of facing the enemies waiting outside without Imperial protection. On one side stood a group of various demons and vampires, hired by Wolfram and Hart to kidnap his son, and on the other was a group of humans led by vampire hunter Daniel Holtz that was an old enemy of Angel.

Both sides were kept at bay by a pair of heavy bolter turrets that Cordelia had installed and hid with magic. Their effectiveness was proven beyond any doubt when they surprised the attacking demons and managed to halve their numbers before they managed to retreat and regroup. The vampire hunters arrived soon after, and after seeing the turrets, decided to bunker down and wait for an opportunity to attack.

Of course, Cordelia had no intention of giving them this opportunity and was already in the process of preparing her soldiers to push pack the invaders. Down in the lobby of the Hyperion hotel while the self-titled 'Cordy Crushers' were preparing for the fight, several members of the Imperial Adeptus Magicka were blocking magical means of teleportation as well as hiding the battle from the eyes of mortals.

The combination of the turrets and the Crushers charging out proved too much even for their determined adversaries which retreated rapidly when faced with the deadly Imperial weaponry the Crushers possessed.

With the imminent threat gone, Angel could only wait and hope that Buffy would return his son to him.

Buffy returned hours later with baby Connor held in her arms and placed him gently in his crib.

"I wouldn't touch him for now. He was held by Faith." Buffy warned Angel who nodded in understanding. Anything Faith touched was imbued with a residue of her holy energy and as such was absolutely lethal to demons. Fortunately for him, the energy faded away after a few days.

"So, does that mean he is not tainted?" Angel asked.

"He is completely human and uncorrupted. Congratulations. I'm sure he'll grow up to be a fine man." Buffy smiled assuringly to a very relieved new father.

"I know he will. I still can't believe how long it's been since the last time we spoke. How are you handling things?" Angel finally took a good look at his former flame and noticed just how tired she looked.

"It's not easy, but I'm on top of things. I just wish the universe stopped throwing me curveballs." Buffy grinned.

"Don't we all. So, you want to stay for a drink?" Angel offered.

"I'd love to, but I can't. Some other time perhaps." Buffy smiled and teleported away.

* * *

Meanwhile, on New Cadia Harry finally caught a break in the Dark Eldar issue.

"It seems the emergency beacon network was not a total waste of time and resources. Gather anyone that can leave in ten minutes." Harry turned to Xander who simply nodded and walked towards the Stargate, using his helmet's vox to gather his team to investigate the world that had activated its distress beacon.

The beacons were a measure Harry introduced to alleviate the lack of effective communication with the various worlds under Imperial control. Since almost two-thirds of the planets were primitive worlds that in most cases didn't even know how to operate the Stargate, a different system was introduced. A powerful subspace beacon was shipped to every Imperial world, and the planetary leader was given a ring that could activate the beacon if the world was ever attacked.

By the time the departure time arrived, Xander was standing next to two squads of Battle Sisters and four squads of Optrisian storm troopers. Xander of course loomed over them in his terminator armor, holding a giant Nemesis halberd and a twin-linked Storm bolter strapped on his left arm.

"If we encounter Dark Eldar, strike hard and fast. Shoot them until they go down, and then shoot them some more just in case. Now, what is the mark of the xeno?" Xander roared.

"To be Unclean, that is the Mark of the Xeno." The soldiers roared.

"To be Impure, that is the Mark of the Xeno." Xander continued.

"To be Abhorred, that is the Mark of the Xeno." The Sisters joined the prayer.

"To be Reviled, that is the Mark of the Xeno." The group now spoke as one.

"To be Hunted, that is the Mark of the Xeno."

"To be Purged, that is the Fate of the Xeno."

"To be Destroyed, for that is the fate of all Xenos." The prayer ended just as the Stargate activated and the soldiers rushed through and once on the other side headed at a rapid pace towards the settlement under attack.

Halfway there they met with their prey, a group of Dark Eldar leading a group of battered and chained humans towards the Stargate.

"For the Emperor." Xander roared and charged the Wych leading the group, forcing her to break away from the group. The four Warriors quickly took cover behind the many trees in the area, or in one case behind the slaves, while the half-dozen Mandrakes charged the Imperial troops, weaving through the shadows of the trees with great speed.

The Imperials quickly dove into cover as well, their greater numbers allowing them to pin the Warriors while the Mandrakes weaved through the weapons fire and headed towards the Sisters while the Optrisians kept the Warriors busy.

One Mandrake fell to weapons fire before the group could reach the Sisters, but the others managed to reach them and the Sisters were forced to counter with their melee weaponry. Power and chainswords met vile Eldar blades, the two groups crashing into each other amidst a cloud of las, bolter and splinter shots, the powered armor of the Sisters whining from the strain of countering the Mandrake's unnatural strength.

Meanwhile, Xander was standing alert as the Wych was slowly circling him. While he had greater reach, power and armor, she had much greater speed and agility, not to mention the fact she held a pair of razorflails in her hands.

At some unknown signal, the Wych exploded into action, her sword-like weapons extending into long chains that snaked towards Xander with deadly intent. Xander jumped to the side, flicking his spear to deflect one of the blades while avoiding the other blade and moving to strike at the Wych. She managed to avoid the diagonal strike and moved to retract her blades, hoping to hit Xander from behind. Xander managed to avoid one of them, but the other struck his halberd, the top third of the razorflail wrapping around the haft of the weapon.

The Wych realized she wouldn't win in a tug-of-war with a Terminator and quickly released the tangled blade, launching a strike with the other one, hoping to land a hit while Xander was busy removing her weapon from his.

To her surprise, Xander twirled his halberd around, launching the loose end of the razorflail over his head and swinging down at its owner.

The Wych still proved her skill as she managed to get away from the surprise attack with only an inch long cut on her shoulder.

"A good move. You would have been popular in the arenas." She gave him wide grin.

"You will never know, for you will die this day." Xander stated calmly.

"The day is not over yet, and even if I die, I intend to bring you with me." The Wych smirked and launched another strike, this one a feint that allowed her to retrieve her second razorflail, but she was forced to jump back as Xander's halberd came down hard at the spot she occupied a second ago.

"You are already dead, Xeno. Do you know what the biggest difference between this galaxy and the one we come from is?" Xander opened fire with his storm bolter, but the Wych was agile enough to either avoid his fire or deflect it away from her body.

"She Who Thirsts cannot reach us here." The Wych grinned. Her group was overjoyed when they discovered they were finally free from their greatest and most hated enemy.

"Exactly. There are no daemons in the Warp here." Xander grinned behind his helmet as he raised his hand and launched a wave of psychic force at the Wych, throwing her through a tree and embedding her into a large boulder.

"That was a really lowhanded move. I was right. You would have been huge in the arenas." The Wych laughed as blood gurgled from her mouth.

"Vile to the end. Your race is truly beyond salvation." Xander snapped and buried his halberd in her chest, the energies of the force blade burning a hole that almost completely destroyed the Wych's torso.

Once the Wych was dead, Xander returned to his squad in time to see the last Mandrake being put down. All of the Warriors were dead as well and his team moved to see to the dead and wounded.

"Did we lose anyone?" Xander asked the Sister Superior leading the squads.

"Two Sisters fell to the beasts, and another lost an arm when she was shot from the Warriors. We had to amputate it to prevent the toxin from killing her. The rest are in good condition." The Sister replied.

"Their sacrifice will be remembered. What about your squads, Captain?" Xander turned to the Optrisian commander.

"We lost a full squad milord, and three others had to have limbs amputated to prevent them from dying from the toxin. Also, half of the prisoners were killed in the crossfire." The captain reported stoically.

"The loss of loyal Imperial soldiers and citizens is always regrettable, but sometimes unavoidable. Tend to your wounded, captain. You have my personal assurance they will receive the best care and augmetics we can provide, and that the fallen will receive a hero's burial." Xander placed his hand on the man's shoulder.

"Thank you, milord. Alright men, form up, we need to escort these people out of here. Gather the fallen and wounded and take the Xeno corpses as well. We should bring some trophies back after all." The captain barked and his men rushed to obey.

* * *

This victory galvanized the Imperials. Seeing the Dark Eldar corpses made it clear they were not fighting invincible demons, but creatures of flesh and blood that could be killed.

"This was just what we needed to get the people's morale up. Hopefully this will get the bloody xenos to think twice about attacking us again." Buffy grinned as Xander reported to her. He was back on Earth to see how things were as well as to check on his two young pupils.

"They'll probably turn their attention on non-Imperial planets." Xander pointed out.

"As callous as it may sound, we don't have the resources to aid them at this time." Buffy sighed.

"Well, we can still…" Xander paused as the door behind him opened and he turned to see a blond girl with an armful of papers walk in.

"Oh, I didn't know…" The girl stammered when she saw Xander, but a single raised hand from Buffy silenced her.

"It's alright Tara. Are those the reports I requested?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, milady. I have organized them by order of importance for you. Do you require anything else?" Tara placed the papers on the desk and stood before it, waiting for a response.

"Nothing for now, Tara. Carry on." Buffy gave her a small smile. Tara simply bowed and walked out.

"Timid little thing, isn't she?" Xander commented.

"She's also very skilled and competent. I'd never catch up on my non-Inquisitorial duties without her help. I actually sent Giles a fruit basket a week ago as thanks for recommending her." Buffy laughed.

"Giles recommended her? Why?" Xander was surprised. The Watcher was busier than ever organizing and overseeing the Adeptus Magicka, and they rarely saw him.

"He said that I badly needed an assistant, and she was falling to pieces in the sanctionite program." Buffy replied.

"So, she's a witch?" Xander frowned.

"A fairly powerful one, too. That can be an asset if necessary as well." Buffy nodded.

"Well, I better see what Dawn and Cassie are up to." Xander stood up and walked away.

* * *

A few weeks later, the permanent members of the UN Security Council met for a very unusual meeting.

"I apologize if I sound skeptical, General Hammond, but your story sounds too unbelievable to be true." The British representative commented.

"We have proof, of course." Hammond signaled to one of the soldiers by the door and the man rushed outside. "Please allow me to introduce the honorable Por'O T'au Shaserra."

All the representatives froze when the rather tall gray-skinned and hoofed alien walked in and bowed before them.

"I greet you all. May our meeting today benefit the Greater Good." The Water caste ambassador spoke a fluent, if slightly accented English.

"Please, sit down, ambassador." Hammond broke the silence, allowing the representatives some time to recover.

"I believe you've made your point, General Hammond. Any other surprises you intend to spring on us?" The French representative was the first to recover.

"We have also invited a representative of the biggest non-hostile civilization in the galaxy to attend as well. They should arrive as soon as I signal them." Hammond took out a device from his pocket and pressed the single button on it as soon as the representatives gave him permission.

In a flash of light, Buffy appeared, wearing a rather simple set of carapace armor adorned with the Aquila and a red cape with the Inquisitorial symbol on it.

"May I introduce Inquisitor Elizabeth Summers, Master of the Administratum of the New Imperium of Man." Hammond surprised the group with his declaration.

"Thank you for your invitation, general." Buffy sat down calmly, but a careful observer would notice a faint narrowing of her eyes when she saw the Tau ambassador sitting in the room.

"Inquisitor? That is a peculiar title. There is no religious freedom in your territories?" The British representative asked her.

"The purpose of the Inquisition is to seek and root out all those who actively seek to harm the Imperium. We do not oppose different beliefs provided they meet those criteria." Buffy replied calmly.

"How big is this Imperium of yours?" The Chinese representative asked.

"We either control or influence dozens of worlds and millions of people, and our technology is the most advanced in this galaxy." Buffy replied.

"And what is your stance regarding Earth?" The Russian asked.

"If you're asking if we would take military action against this world, then the answer is no, unless you provoke us first. We are of course willing to discuss an alliance with any Earth nation willing to do so." Buffy smirked at the US members.

"The Tau Empire is also willing to extend a hand in friendship to all those seeking the Greater Good." The Tau spoke up as well.

"That is most generous of you, but I think we should first deal with the issue of the Stargate program before we can discuss possible diplomatic arrangements with your respective governments." The French representative cut in.

"Of course, ambassador. I am merely here to observe the proceedings and see if we can reach a mutually beneficial agreement afterwards." Buffy smiled.

"The fact that the US has exclusive use of the Stargate will not sit well with my government." The Chinese member pointed out.

"Nor with mine. I believe I can speak for all my colleagues when I say that we want to be a part of the action." The Russian stated, receiving nods from the other members.

"My government is open to the idea of international cooperation. Turning the Stargate program into a joint operation between our nations will benefit us far more than if we remained alone." Major Davis replied.

"What about the various technologies you've acquired thanks to the Stargate? Would you be willing to share them as well?" The Chinese pressed Davis.

"Everything we are permitted to share, of course. Some of the technologies in our possession are only loaned to us, and we'll have to talk with their owners before we can share them." Hammond answered him. The Chinese representative frowned a bit but nodded in acceptance a moment later.

"I propose we form a new organization that will be responsible for the organization, funding and oversight of the Stargate program, with members from all nations involved in the project. I believe my country is not the only one that would like to bring some of our allies into the program as well." The UK member proposed.

"I agree, but such actions should be made cautiously. If word of this leaked to the public, things would get messy fast." The French added.

"Then we are in agreement? We will establish an international agency to manage the Stargate program?" Davis looked at the representatives which nodded one by one. "While the agency is being established, perhaps it would be a good idea to send some of your teams to train with our SG teams so they can get a feel of what they can expect out there?"

"A good idea. I will talk with my superiors and arrange for some of our best men to join the program." The Russian smiled. The generals at high command would be in for a huge surprise when he told them about this.

* * *

"Gentlemen, would you be willing to discuss possible diplomatic relations with my government now?" Buffy decided it was time to join the talks again.

"The Empire would also be interested in pursuing stronger ties with your world." Shaserra also spoke up.

"Perhaps if you could tell us more about your governments so that we know just what sort of relations to pursue?" The French asked.

"I have prepared a document that should provide you with a short summary of Imperial organizations, culture, laws and some of our most used civilian and military technologies." Buffy passed out several data pads to the representatives.

"I too have prepared some documents to help you understand my people and the Greater Good." The Tau handed them some files as well, and the representatives spent some time reading them.

"Your government is incredibly strict and harsh in its punishments." The UK member turned towards Buffy.

"Compared to the old Imperium, we are very liberal actually. I assure you, every law and penalty currently enforced in the Imperium has been discussed at length by the High Lords. We have strived to maintain a clear and well defined legal code that even uneducated people can understand and follow, which was necessary considering half our population is still living in the middle ages. We are of course working on improving their conditions, but it will take several generations before these worlds can rise to a more advanced cultural and technological level." Buffy replied.

"I am still uncomfortable with the fact that democracy does not exist in the Imperium. And is it true that your religion deifies your leader?" The French asked.

"The God-Emperor is a godlike entity. That is an undeniable fact, as are His actions and sacrifices for the betterment of humanity. Those who offer homage to Him do so freely and willingly. We force no-one to follow our religion, only that they do not actively oppose it." Buffy replied.

"Considering my experience with you gue'la, I wonder how much of your statement is true." Shaserra commented.

"Believe what you will. The only thing you can be certain of is that if we find out where you are hiding, we will kill every last one of you." Buffy smirked.

"I expected nothing more from one of your blinded kind. It saddens me that you are so unwilling to see the Greater Good." The Tau sighed.

"Don't patronize me, Xeno. Your Greater Good is nothing but lies." Buffy snapped.

"I think we've gotten a bit of topic here. Maybe we should…" Hammond was cut off when a flash of light deposited a young girl in the room.

"Tara? Why are you here?" Buffy did not expect her assistant here, especially since she gave her the day off.

"We received a priority black message from Inquisitor Maybourne, milady. I am the only one authorized to receive and transport one." Tara handed her a pad.

"Why in the Warp does he need to send a black message?" Buffy frowned as the pad verified her identity and began decrypting the high priority message.

The members of the UN Security Council were quite surprised when Buffy released an angry snarl, accompanied by a bright glow in her eyes and the sound of twisting metal and broken glass as the pad in her hand was crushed in half.

"Tara, return to Sunnydale and tell Harry to get Xander and Faith on the site immediately. Quarantine everyone who visited the village and tell Larry to check them all ten times if necessary. Once that is done, tell Harry to find them at all costs. I don't care what project he has to put on hold, but tell him I want them found. And finally, tell Willow she has one month to finish the Cimmerian project. She has my permission to use any means necessary to do so." Buffy snapped orders at her assistant.

"But milady, the project was estimated to take at least a year and…" Tara froze at the look Buffy sent her. "I will inform the Inquisitor and the Fabricator General of your orders."

Tara bowed and disappeared, leaving a room of confused ambassadors and one seething Inquisitor.

"Did something bad happen?" Hammond asked after a minute of tense silence.

"A planet we recently contacted was found slaughtered by the missionary that was assigned to it. The entire settlement was obliterated." Buffy sighed.

"We were told you had trouble with Dark Eldar raiders. Were they responsible?" Hammond asked.

"No. We have a new player in the galaxy it seems." Buffy's face turned grim. "The forces of Chaos have come to destroy all we've accomplished."


	35. Chapter 35

**Well, I finally managed to put something coherent together. I will offer no excuses for my long hiatus, only that the muses are fickle lovers. So, I hope you will like what I've managed to create.**

**Chapter 35**

"What is Chaos?" The Chinese ambassador spoke first.

"Chaos is a universal term the Imperium uses for various groups of their traitors and pirates." The Tau ambassador replied before Buffy could.

"That is correct, although vastly understated." Buffy sighed.

"Then perhaps you'd like to elaborate." The French asked.

"I'd rather not, but I don't think you'll accept that, so I will tell you about Chaos, but on one condition. We will follow Imperial protocol on such matters." Buffy replied after a few moments.

"What exactly do these protocols entail?" Hammond asked.

"First, the xeno must leave. He may return once we're done." Buffy turned towards the Tau, who simply nodded and walked out of the room.

"The protocols are rather simple. You will undergo the Rite of Purification, then once you've been briefed, you must swear an Oath of Silence." Buffy informed them.

"But if we cannot share this information, how can we explain the danger to our governments?" The Russian protested.

"Tell you what. If after we're done you feel your superiors need to know the details, we'll make some additional arrangements to brief them as well." Once everyone agreed to her suggestion, Buffy reached into the bag hanging on her belt and pulled out a large tallow candle and a stick of incense and lit them with a lighter. Then, she took off her necklace and held it forward into the smoke of the incense.

"Let the Emperor's light shine over you and cleanse you of all corruption." Buffy began reciting a long litany, her eyes shining with power as all eyes in the room were drawn to the small golden necklace as it caught the candlelight. Slowly, all of the representatives felt a strange warmth rise from within them, and as it passed, they all felt somehow lighter.

"What was that?" The British ambassador whispered.

"The Ritual of Purification. Now that you are cleansed of corruption we can proceed with the briefing." Buffy sat down.

"What if one of us was a follower of Chaos?" Hammond asked.

"Then you would have been incinerated where you stood. Now what is Chaos? To understand that, you must first understand what is the Immaterium." With that, Buffy began to explain the nature of the Warp, the daemons that inhabit it, and what effect they had on the material universe.

"That is incredible. And we are in danger of such creatures right now?" The Chinese representative exclaimed.

"Not at the moment. Most likely we are dealing with members of one of the traitor legions, but if left unchecked, they could instigate the formation of Warp daemons here, or bring them in from the Imperial galaxy. Rest assured that this threat will be dealt with the greatest possible haste. To reassure you, you are all invited to visit New Cadia for a tour of our facilities and forces in one week's time." Buffy informed them.

"Thank you for your invitation. I can think of a couple of officials back home that should make that visit along with me." The Russian ambassador nodded, and the others agreed to his idea. "As for the Oath you mentioned, I think that I will swear it. The thought of this knowledge out in the open…"

"Very well. Do you all feel the same?" Buffy asked, and one by one all representatives nodded. "Then stand and repeat after me."

Once everyone had sworn the Oath of Silence, the Tau ambassador was called back in and the talks were completed several hours later.

* * *

"Welcome back milady. Several reports arrived for you while you were in DC." Tara greeted Buffy as she walked in her office and headed right for her rarely used drinks cabinet.

"Anything marked urgent?" Buffy asked as she downed a shot of whiskey. Tara simply shook her head. "Then it can wait."

Buffy took the newly filled glass and the bottle of whiskey and collapsed in her chair. "What a day. Every time I turn around, it's one disaster after another. Sometimes I wonder why I bother getting out of bed in the morning." Buffy took several long drags from the bottle, ignoring the glass before her.

"You are vital for the New Imperium milady. We would've never gotten so far without your guidance." Tara spoke up.

"That's nice of you to say. Here, join me in a toast. To the Emperor." Buffy shoved the glass into Tara's hand while she raised the bottle.

The next day, Giles walked up to Buffy's office with a stack of papers in his hand and the first thing he noticed was that his former protégé Tara was not in her customary place in Buffy's outer office.

"Is the Inquisitor in?" He asked the replacement secretary.

"Yes, but she sounded really grumpy when she called me to fill in for Tara. She got the day off apparently." The girl answered and pressed the intercom. "Mr. Giles here to see you milady."

"Send him in." Buffy's voice was raspy, and once he walked in, Giles noticed that Buffy seemed worn out if the bags under her eyes were any indication.

"What brings you here, Giles?" Buffy smiled a little at her Watcher.

"I have some papers that need your signature here, and I also wanted to see how you were." Giles smiled back as he put the papers on her desk.

"Busier than I ever thought I would be, but that's the price to pay when I'm trying to establish a galactic civilization." Buffy chuckled.

"I also heard a strange rumor while I was walking here. A pair of Sisters was talking about how last night's corridor patrol caught you and your assistant 'sucking face' on the way to your chambers, and that sound of an unambiguous nature were heard from within for several hours." Buffy's face was rapidly reddening as Giles continued speaking.

"Lucy, tell Kennedy I want to speak with her right away." Buffy all but growled the order.

"Yes milady, oh and your mother called and asked me to pass on a message." Lucy replied, and despite the feeling of dread in her stomach, Buffy asked what the message was. "She said to bring your girlfriend over for dinner tonight even if the world was ending."

"Dawn. I'll kill that little brat." Buffy growled through gritted teeth.

"Buffy. Let me ask you one thing. Are you happy with this?" Giles asked softly.

"I'm still trying to decide if this was all just a drunken accident or the start of something more. I still have to talk to Tara about all this." Buffy sighed, her anger petering out.

"Remember, as long as you're happy, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks." Giles assured her.

At that moment, the Battle Sister Buffy requested walked in.

"You asked to see me, milady?" Kennedy stood at attention before Buffy's desk.

"Yes. I've been informed that some rumors have been circulating among your novices." Buffy began.

"You mean about you coming out of the closet ma'am? Personally I always suspected, but…" Kennedy stopped talking at Buffy's raised hand.

"That's one of the things I've heard. Do the Sisters on New Cadia know about that too?" Buffy asked.

"I believe so, ma'am. Several Sisters left for the routine exchange this morning." Kennedy replied.

"Well, in that case inform the Canoness that I am ordering a new training schedule for the Order to combat certain negative influences. Full day of endurance training, followed by a review on operational security procedures in the evening, and if any Sister falls asleep during the briefing, you get to repeat the same the following day." Buffy grinned.

"Ma'am, half the senior staff uses that video as a sleep aid. They'll never sit through all of it after a full day of endurance training." Kennedy protested.

"Alright, tell the Canoness that this is to last no more than one week. I suppose that will teach the Order not to gossip about senior Imperial officers." Buffy smirked.

"By your command, Lady Inquisitor." Kennedy bowed and walked out. "That woman is beyond evil. Still smoking hot though."

* * *

After several hours, Buffy decided that her hangover had subsided enough and headed out to find Tara. It was a small surprise to discover the shy girl was still in Buffy's quarters, using her terminal.

"Did you need anything milady?" Tara stood up and faced her, but Buffy gestured for her to sit down.

"I gave you the day off, remember? I just wanted to talk to you about last night." Buffy sat down across from her on the small coffee table she had to entertain her friends in private.

"How much do you remember about last night, milady?" Tara asked.

"All I remember is thinking how cute you look when you blush, and the next thing I know, I woke up naked with you draped over me, a pounding headache and a feeling of immense satisfaction." Buffy smiled. "And I think you've earned the right to call me Buffy."

"Where does this leaves us, Buffy?" Tara asked after a few moments of silence.

"I don't know, but I'm willing to see where we go from here." Buffy leaned forward and took Tara's hand into hers.

* * *

"So, that's why you've pushed for the completion of the Cimmerian project. I hope you appreciate the troubles I've gone through to keep the schedule you set for it." Willow complained once Buffy briefed the High Lords on the newest threat.

"Let us hear Xander's report before we decide the amount of force we need to bring to bear on this issue." Buffy spoke before anyone else could comment.

"The site had the clear marks of a rapid Chaos assault, and we have discovered an altar where they were sacrificing the local populace in a yet undetermined ritual, which has been destroyed and the grounds purified and consecrated. As for the enemy disposition, we have found several bolter casings, and the wounds on the fallen consist of power and chain weaponry where CQC weapons were used. The type of wounds and tactics used are a clear sign that the assault was performed by traitor Space Marines." Xander paused for a moment. "The two things of concern are a set of threaded tracks that are most likely from a combat servitor, and several corpses that bear the unmistakable wounds caused by Inferno bolts."

"A combat servitor means they have a heretek with them." Willow exclaimed, her escorts exploding in a rapid exchange in binary.

"It's worse than that. The use of Inferno bolts means only one thing. They have a Chaos Sorcerer with them." Buffy growled. "Larry, in the absence of the Ordo Hereticus, I must ask the Ecclesiarchy to police our worlds for signs of heresy."

"I will inform the cardinals as soon as we are finished." Larry nodded.

"Xander, I am forming a task force to hunt down this threat, and I'm putting you in charge. For the duration of this mission, you are granted Inquisitorial authority. Use whatever means you feel is needed to hunt down and eliminate these traitors once and for all." Buffy turned to her closest male friend who simply nodded and walked out.

"Now, since we're all here, what else do we need to discuss?" Buffy asked.

Several hours later, the High Lords finally departed the meeting room on New Cadia and returned to their worlds.

"So, I heard you've discovered the joys of the fairer sex." Buffy turned and saw Willow was still here.

"Not you too. Do you know how embarrassing dinner with my mom was? I thought Tara would die of embarrassment." Buffy sighed.

"You know she means well. That's why she's so great. Besides, isn't embarrassing your children in the job description of being a parent?" Willow laughed.

"I guess so. So, lunch?" Buffy turned towards her friend who nodded and together they headed out towards the mess hall.

* * *

A few days later, Buffy was discussing the visit of the Earth representatives of New Cadia with Harry.

"They were very impressed, and the Russian and Chinese expressed great interest in our penal legion system." Harry commented.

"I daresay they have a great deal of prisoners they'd like to disappear. Do what you can, but be careful if they try anything sneaky. How are things on the Goa'uld front?" Buffy asked.

"Anubis is up to something, and from what I've heard, it's big. His forces have withdrawn completely within his territory, and I believe he's building up his forces for a major attack." Harry sighed.

"Is Sarah in danger?" Buffy asked.

"I don't think so. An assassin has no chance of getting to her, and her forces are strong enough to repel an attack, especially since the Techpriests have upgraded her Ha'tak fleet. According to Willow, they are almost 90% as strong as Anubis's ships." Harry replied.

"Alright. Monitor the situation and keep informed if anything important happens." Buffy sighed.

* * *

Several weeks later, Harry contacted her again with some disturbing news.

"Anubis made his move in a big way. He had this huge mothership with a new superweapon and he has taken out three System Lords with it. Sarah informed me that the others were considering surrendering to Anubis, so I sent four of our ships to take it out. They were successful, but the Wings of Liberty was badly damaged and had to be towed back to Tollana. I was informed that it would take two to three weeks to repair it." Harry reported.

"Damn that bastard. Can he replicate this weapon?" Buffy asked. A weapon that could disable one of their frigates was a serious matter.

"According to my intelligence, very unlikely. I do have something that might interest you. Apparently, Daniel Jackson is back from the dead." Harry informed her.

"So, Daniel is back in corporeal land. I wonder what caused that." Buffy mused.

"Who knows. It's a shame we still haven't found where they stashed the Tau. They keep moving them to planets we don't know about. My scouts have already found two worlds that were used by them in the past few weeks." Harry sighed.

"The Dark Eldar and the heretics have also been suspiciously quiet. How come our enemies can't just come out in the open so we can obliterate them?" Buffy complained.

"I don't think things are ever that easy." Harry laughed.

A few hours later, Giles came with his own bad news.

"Someone is hunting Potentials?" Buffy was surprised. With their organized support network for demon hunting groups and the deployment of Sister kill-teams to handle the biggest threats, the demonic threat on Earth was dwindling rapidly.

"Fortunately, most of the Potentials are here. The ones remaining outside our organization are those with families." Giles replied.

"We should do our best to get the remaining ones here. But, if anyone is hunting down Potentials, that means that they intend to destroy the Slayer line." Buffy frowned.

"And it's not easy to track down Potentials too. While not on the same level as a Slayer, Potentials do have a level of innate resistance to magic, especially tracking spells. The only reason the Watchers can track them is because of generations of working with the Slayer." Gilles pointed out.

"Will things ever get better for us?" Buffy sighed.

"One day, all you'll have to complain about is boredom." Gilles smiled at her.

"I look forward to it." Buffy smiled back and returned to her work.


End file.
